Jesus V. Picazo Millan | University of Zaragoza (original) (raw)

Papers by Jesus V. Picazo Millan

Research Square (Research Square), Feb 16, 2022

The cyclical evolution of the testimonial buttes in the central area of the Ebro depression (Los ... more The cyclical evolution of the testimonial buttes in the central area of the Ebro depression (Los Monegros) is analysed. It is a semiarid environment that favours high erosive rates. The aim of this paper is to obtain an evolutionary model of the Jubierre hills that shows the environmental cycles represented by aggradational and degradative processes on the slopes that produced the present arrangement of talus atiron rings. In the four studied cases, the talus relicts are composed of detritic material from a disappeared caprock pediment. Four slope stages (S4 to S1) formed under more stable climate conditions are identi ed. Older stages ages (S4 and S3) are estimated by comparison with other talus atiron systems from the region. The S2 stage contains Bronze Age archaeological remains and the radiocarbon age obtained was 1608 − 1446 years cal BC (2σ), while S1 is younger. A climate genesis is established for these aggradational stages (S4 to S1). The active erosion of these hills led to a relief inversion and talus atirons remain as the only features revealing the presence of the old hills and past human occupations.

Environmental Earth Sciences, Aug 23, 2022

The polyphasic evolution of the testimonial buttes in the central area of the Ebro basin (Los Mon... more The polyphasic evolution of the testimonial buttes in the central area of the Ebro basin (Los Monegros) is analysed. This is a semiarid area that favours high erosion rates. An evolutionary model of the Jubierre hills is presented that shows the environmental cycles represented by aggradational and degradative processes on the slopes that resulted in the present arrangement of talus flatiron rings. In the four studied cases, talus relicts are composed of detritic material from a disappeared caprock pediment. Four slope stages (S4 to S1) that formed under stable climate conditions are identified. Older stages (S4 and S3) are estimated by comparison with other talus flatirons in the region. The S2 stage contains Bronze Age archaeological remains and the radiocarbon age obtained was 1608-1446 years cal BC (2σ), while S1 is younger. A palaeoenvironmental interpretation was made for these aggradational stages (S4 to S1). The active erosion of these hills led to a relief inversion, and talus flatirons remain as the only features revealing the presence of the relict hills and past human occupations.

The Holocene

Most studies on the geomorphological evolution of the Holocene from the Ebro depression (NE Spain... more Most studies on the geomorphological evolution of the Holocene from the Ebro depression (NE Spain) are focused on the period up to the Roman Epoch (218 BC–476 AD) while some references to medieval (476 AD–15th century) deposits are also occasionally dated. This paper focuses on the establishment of aggradation units on the valley bottoms and slopes of the Ebro depression after 1400 BP, their origin, comparison with other areas, and relationship with global paleoenvironmental changes. These units were produced after the incision phase that marked the end of the large Holocene accumulation (unit H1) around 1400 BP (at the end of the Late Roman Epoch). Morphosedimentary records enable us to establish three aggradation units during the last 1400 years: unit H2 ( ca. 1400–650 cal BP); unit H3 – with two H3A subunits ( ca. 650–500 cal BP) and H3B ( ca. 500–320 cal BP); and the H4 unit (after 320 cal BP). These units are organized following five types of aggradation/incision arrangements w...

Salduie

Se presenta una gran cantera romana situada en las inmediaciones de la presa romana de Muel (Zara... more Se presenta una gran cantera romana situada en las inmediaciones de la presa romana de Muel (Zaragoza). De la misma procede la piedra empleada en la construcción del gran complejo hidráulico.

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

Our understanding of early copper metallurgy in the Iberian Peninsula is mostly based on analysis... more Our understanding of early copper metallurgy in the Iberian Peninsula is mostly based on analysis from wellstudied regions in the Southeast and Southwest. This paper focuses on two recently recovered Chalcolithic metallurgical assemblages outside these traditional research foci: two slagged crucibles from Lugar Viejo III (Zaragoza) and two large slag cakes from Cueva del Cañaveralejo (Córdoba). Analysis of the compositions and microstructures of the artifacts using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) suggests they are related to primary copper production, namely smelting in cruciblefurnaces under relatively oxidizing conditions, as is standard for this period. The slag layers on crucibles from Lugar Viejo indicate the production of copper with minor amounts of arsenic, also typical for this period. Of special note is the use of organic temper in the crucibles from Lugar Viejo, a practice found at the nearby site of Moncín but rare at other sites in Iberia. However, the slags from Cueva del Cañaveralejo are atypical in their large size (approx. 125 g each), fayalitic composition, unusual efficiency as demonstrated by a low copper content, and lack of arsenic; furthermore, the high sulfur content raises the possibility of the use of sulfidic ores. Results from both sites are compared against published data from well-known sites such as Los Millares, Las Pilas, Almizaraque, and Bauma del Serrat del Pont. The new data from Lugar Viejo and Cueva del Cañaveralejo reinforce the interpretation of metallurgy in the Iberian Peninsula as a low-skilled, conservative technology but also indicate the need for more research into regional variations. (See Supplementary Data 1 for a summary in Spanish).

Actas: 9 y 10 de noviembre de 2017, 2018, ISBN 978-84-09-02130-7, págs. 103-111, 2018

Salduie, 2019

Se presentan las excavaciones realizadas en la escombrera del taller de vasos de alabastro de Rod... more Se presentan las excavaciones realizadas en la escombrera del taller de vasos de alabastro de Rodén (Zaragoza). Se exponen las características de la actuación, se analiza la estratigrafía y cronología del yacimiento, los rasgos técnicos del tipo de artesanía documentada y se estudian los elementos asociados, especialmente las cerámicas, con producciones prehistóricas, medievales y modernas registradas a lo largo de una secuencia que se extiende desde el siglo v a.C. hasta el xviii. Como resultado ha sido posible determinar la naturaleza del hallazgo —una escombrera de desechos de producción—, fijar la cronología del taller en la primera mitad del siglo xi, coincidiendo con el desarrollo de la taifa de Zaragoza, y explicar la evolución del yacimiento entre los siglos xiv y xviii a partir de las cerámicas entre las que resultan especialmente significativas las producciones esmaltadas.

Actas: 9 y 10 de noviembre de 2017, 2018, ISBN 978-84-09-02130-7, págs. 127-138, 2018

Zephyrvs, 2020

A lo largo del s. XVIII y primera mitad del XIX el sílex se convirtió en materia prima estratégic... more A lo largo del s. XVIII y primera mitad del XIX el sílex se convirtió en materia prima estratégica para la fabricación de piedras de chispa utilizadas en distintas armas de fuego. El ejército español obtuvo buena parte de sus suministros del Reino de Granada y, a partir de 1760, de las canteras situadas cerca de Zaragoza, en el entorno del río Huerva, comarca que se convirtió en uno de los principales centros de producción como resultado del sistema de contratas establecido por la Corona para el suministro de más de un millón de piedras anuales. En el artículo presentamos las impresionantes huellas arqueológicas de aquellas explotaciones mineras –trincheras, galerías, pozos, escombreras...–, los lugares de transformación y la tecnología de talla empleada, junto con algunos datos documentales de la producción de estos ‘pedernaleros’, un oficio especializado y gremial, que se extinguió hacia mediados del XIX cuando las armas con llave de chispa quedaron obsoletas. Pero sobre todo quer...

CATENA, 2018

Slope deposits, in semiarid regions, are known to be very sensitive environments, especially thos... more Slope deposits, in semiarid regions, are known to be very sensitive environments, especially those that occurred during the minor fluctuations of the late Holocene. In this paper we analyse Holocene colluvium genesis, composition, and paleoenvironmental meaning through the study of slope deposits at Peña Enroque (Ebro Depression, NE Spain). Two cumulative slope stages are described during this period in NE Spain. Both slope accumulations are superimposed and this has enabled an excellent preservation of the aggregative sequence and the paleosols corresponding to stabilisation stages. 14 C and TL dating, as well as archaeological remains, provide considerable chronological precision for this sequence. The origin of the accumulation of the lower unit is placed around 4295-4083 cal yr BP/2346-2134 cal yr BC (late Chalcolithic) and it developed until the Iron Age in a cooler and wetter climate (Cold Iron Age). Under favourable conditions, a soil A-horizon was formed on top of this unit. After a long erosive stage (Warm Roman Period, Medieval Climatic Anomaly), a new slope accumulation was formed during the Little Ice Age. Within the slope two morphogenetic periods are distinguished, both ending with A-horizons. Both periods can be related with the two main cold-wet climatic events in NE Spain.

Journal of environmental management, Jan 11, 2018

We studied the fire record and its environmental consequences during the Holocene in the Central ... more We studied the fire record and its environmental consequences during the Holocene in the Central Ebro Basin. This region is very sensitive to environmental changes due to its semiarid conditions, lithological features and a continuous human presence during the past 6000 years. The study area is a 6 m buried sequence of polycyclic soils developed approximately 9500 years ago that is exceptionally well preserved and encompasses four sedimentary units. The content and size distribution of macroscopic charcoal fragments were determined throughout the soil sequence and the analysis of the composition of charcoal, litter and sediments via analytical pyrolysis (Py-GC/MS). The high amount of charcoal fragments recovered in most horizons highlights the fire frequencies since the beginning of the Neolithic, most of which were probably of anthropogenic origin. In some soil horizons where charcoal was not found, we detected a distribution pattern of lipid compounds that could be related to biom...

Quaternary Research, 2014

Slope deposits in semiarid regions are known to be very sensitive environments, especially those ... more Slope deposits in semiarid regions are known to be very sensitive environments, especially those that occurred during the minor fluctuations of the late Holocene. In this paper we analyse Holocene colluvium genesis, composition, and paleoenvironmental meaning through the study of slope deposits in NE Spain. Two cumulative slope stages are described during this period. In the study area, both slope accumulations are superimposed and this has enabled an excellent preservation of the aggregative sequence and the paleosols corresponding to stabilisation stages. 14C and TL dating, as well as archaeological remains, provide considerable chronological precision for this sequence. The origin of the accumulation of the lower unit is placed around 4295–4083 cal yr BP/2346–2134 cal yr BC (late Chalcolithic) and it developed until the Iron Age in a cooler and wetter climate (Cold Iron Age). Under favourable conditions, a soil A-horizon was formed on top of this unit. A new slope accumulation wa...

Archivo Español de Arqueología, 2016

El conocimiento de la ocupación visigoda y paleoislámica en el valle del Ebro resulta un tanto di... more El conocimiento de la ocupación visigoda y paleoislámica en el valle del Ebro resulta un tanto difuso, más por falta de investigaciones y por la escasa visibilidad de los asentamientos, que por un efectivo despoblamiento. En este artículo presentamos los resultados de nuestras investigaciones en el yacimiento de Los Pedregales, en la provincia de Huesca, un sas cronologías (romanos, altomedievales, modernos…) junto con numerosas estructuras pétreas en un área completamente alterada por procesos erosivos. Una minuciosa prospección y la excavación de algunas estructuras en el marco de un estudio geoarqueológico, nos ha permitido explicar la ocupación principal del yacimiento como un campo de silos datado entre los siglos vi y ix, que aporta una nueva referencia para la comprensión de los paisajes rurales antiguos y las comunidades campesinas dispersas que los ocupan. En el artículo se describen e interpretan las estructuras, se estudian los materiales más relevantes, especialmente los...

dialnet.unirioja.es, 2010

Resumen En el artículo se presentan los resultados de las prospecciones llevadas a cabo en el cur... more Resumen En el artículo se presentan los resultados de las prospecciones llevadas a cabo en el curso medio del río Huerva entre los años 2007 y 2009. Se expone de forma sumaria el trabajo realizado y se proporciona una relación de los 86 yacimientos y 56 hallazgos ...

Arqueologia Espacial, 1984

Actas Del Congreso De Arte Rupestre En La Espana Mediterranea Alicante 25 28 De Octubre De 2004 2005 Isbn 84 7784 483 6 Pags 379 392, 2005

A partir del estudio de las pinturas levantinas del abrigo de la Cueva del Chopo (Obón, Teruel) s... more A partir del estudio de las pinturas levantinas del abrigo de la Cueva del Chopo (Obón, Teruel) se demuestra el uso por parte de los «cazadores» levantinos de bumeranes y/o armas arrojadizas. La identificación como tales instrumentos en el mencionado abrigo
abre la posibilidad de que objetos similares representados en distintas zonas geográficas con arte levantino puedan ser definidos como verdaderos bumeranes o armas arrojadizas, destacando su inclusión, aunque minoritaria, dentro de la «panoplia del cazador levantino».

From the study of the levantine rock art fi gures of the shelter of Cueva del Chopo (Obón, Teruel) it’s demonstrate the use of boomerangs and/or throwing weapons from levantine «hunters». The identifi cation of this kind of instruments in this shelter allows us to define as boomerangs or throwing weapons similar objects represented in different geographical zones with levantine rock art, and in this way to includes those instruments as part of the«levantine hunter kit».