Joaquín Jiménez-Puerto | Universitat de València (original) (raw)

Papers by Joaquín Jiménez-Puerto

Research paper thumbnail of Weaving social networks from cultural similarities on the neolithisation process in the Western Mediterranean: Evolutionary trajectories using projectile tools

PLOS ONE, 2024

In this paper, we concentrate on the neolithisation process in Mediterranean Iberia through a dia... more In this paper, we concentrate on the neolithisation process in Mediterranean Iberia through a diachronic view (from 8600-6800 cal. BP), focusing on social interaction as a factor in articulating new cultural ties. To do this, we apply techniques centred on similarities in material culture by applying Social Network Analysis (SNA). For the first time, we point to the geometric projectiles, taking into account their recurrence in both Mesolithic and Neolithic groups as part of their characteristic hunting equipment. We hypothesise that patterns of cultural variability would express the changing flow of information between communities according to their mobility strategies (last hunter-gatherer groups), including economic and social behaviour, and that these relationships will be restructured with the arrival of the newcomer farmers and herders and their new spatial and social arrangement. The results obtained allow us to describe a connected and homogeneous Late Mesolithic network dramatically structured by the Neolithic arrival. Since then, a heterogenous pattern emerged, involving connected periods, network ruptures, and small-world phenomena. The emergence of this characteristic could support the flow of information when the network presents a clustered structure, the last probably due to regionalisation events. These diachronic dynamics fit well with demographic and socioecological trends observed from regional literature.

Research paper thumbnail of Sieci neuronowe do mapowania archeologicznych artefaktów litowych

Inżynieria Mineralna, Jun 23, 2024

An analytical non-destructive strategy to chemically characterize lithic artefacts has been devel... more An analytical non-destructive strategy to chemically characterize lithic artefacts has been developed. Around 100 archaeological lithic materials found in Neolithic-Chalcolithic sites in the Mediterranean region of the Iberian Peninsula and nowadays stored in different museums of the Valencian Community (Spain), were studied. The materials belong to different typologies of rock (diabase, sillimanite, ophite and amphibolite) and were analysed employing portable energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (pXRF) directly in the rock surface. The obtained data were processed through neural networks protocol, specifically the so-called Kohonen networks or Self Organised Maps (SOM), to map the geologic samples. This selforganized topological feature maps are suitable to deal with multidimensional representations and map them in a twodimensional space of neurons, following an unsupervised learning protocol. SOM is used to reduce multidimensional data onto lower-dimensional spaces and clustering procedures. As a result, SOM create spatially organized representations, which enhance the discovery of correlations between data. In this case the method has enabled the evaluation of elemental markers related to each rock type behaving as a fine hidden pattern detector and so understand the possible advantages and disadvantages of the analytical method employed to define provenance issues. The attribution suggested by statistics is mainly driven by the composition of rocks essential minerals which are linked to the different petrogenetic conditions. The results showed that in most of the cases the distribution and dispersion of the chemical profile depend of the kind of rock, and clearly suggest that a good way to identify stone tools raw material procurement is to look for elemental markers, being the prior step to create an approximation to ancient exchange networks and their evolution in a diachronic axis.

Research paper thumbnail of Beyond the naked eye: Employing machine learning and computer vision to explore Iberian oculated idols decorative patterns

Journal of archaeological science: Reports/Journal of archaeological science: reports, May 1, 2024

The study of the Copper Age in the Iberian Peninsula uncovers many enigmas, among them the oculat... more The study of the Copper Age in the Iberian Peninsula uncovers many enigmas, among them the oculated idols. Characterized by their distinctive eye-shaped motifs on long bones, these idols provide a window into the Chalcolithic communities' symbolic world. However, conventional archaeological techniques have fallen short in fully deciphering their narratives. This study uses advanced machine learning techniques to examine the decorative patterns on these oculated idols. We introduce a toolkit called ImageClusterVis, which utilizes computer vision algorithms to extract features more effectively. By applying Gaussian Mixture Models, Spectral Clustering, and Self-Organizing Maps, we can identify and classify patterns that are not visible to the human eye. Our approach helps uncover artistic variations and regional differences in the idols that have not been recognized in past research, showcasing the potential of machine learning to reveal new dimensions of ancient art. Lay Summary: The analysis of visual patterns in material artefacts has always been a central part of archaeological practice, but it has typically relied on qualitative methods. With the advent of digital archaeology, there has been a growing interest in developing more objective and quantitative techniques to compare and classify artefacts based on visual attributes. In this article, we present a novel methodology that employs computer vision algorithms and machine learning to extract robust visual descriptors and cluster archaeological images in an unsupervised manner. This study explores the world of Copper Age Iberian oculated idols on long bones by examining their decorative patterns, to uncover new insights into the regional distinctions, and cultural significances of these enigmatic figures, revealing a previously unseen depth to Copper Age society and artistry. This novel research not only advances our understanding of prehistoric Iberian cultures but also sets a new case study for the interdisciplinary application of AI in archaeology.

Research paper thumbnail of Bell Beaker Data Base for the Iberian Peninsula Eastern Facade

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Jan 27, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Linking up Bell beakers in the Iberian Peninsula: Supplementary Material

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Jul 5, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of pXRF Lithic tools database

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Apr 14, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Connecting arrowheads: Differential transmission of information at the dawn of the Bronze Age

Journal of Lithic Studies, Nov 14, 2024

The study of the relationships between prehistoric social groups is one of the main targets in pr... more The study of the relationships between prehistoric social groups is one of the main targets in present day archaeology. A useful tool to entangle this issue is social network analysis (SNA). Some of the advantages brought by this mathematic approach refer to the possibility of studying relationships through the material culture items, or its capability to integrate different scales of analysis (macro-micro). Moreover, SNA combined with the application of bayesian statistical methods of chronological attribution can create long range diachronic series of relational information, connected with prehistoric social groups dynamics. This methodology enables archaeologists to study archaeological big data from a totally different perspective, not only focused on a descriptive or morphometric point of view. The objective of this work is to apply an SNA procedure, together with a recently developed bayesian tool of chronological attribution, to archaeological sites located in the East of the Iberian Peninsula during the 4th and 3rd millennium cal. BCE using chert arrowheads as an archaeological proxy, due to the chronologic implications their morphology has, in the referred geographic frame. It is our specific target to analyse the transition between the Bell-Beaker world and the Bronze Age, through the differential transmission of information and the time-space variability present in the archaeological record, through the study of relationships between chert arrowheads assemblages. In order to do so, we will build a relational framework between the social communities present in the Late Neolithic-Copper Age through the chert arrowheads morphologic typologies, and we will apply SNA to characterize the resulting networks. Furthermore, we will propose a new metric to quantify the cultural fragmentation using community detection algorithms, in a diachronic axis, to identify groups of sites with homogeneous technological behaviour, to check the initial hypothesis which points to the existence of periods of cultural homogeneity followed by others in which fragmentation-regionalization is dominant.

Research paper thumbnail of Base De Datos De Cultura Material Calcolítico Mediterráneo

This database is one of the data packagaes used in the making of the PhD dissertation "Conne... more This database is one of the data packagaes used in the making of the PhD dissertation "Connecting with the past: social networks in recent Prehistory". It contains information of counts for all the archaeological artifacts collected during the passing of the PhD works. It contains archaeological information from a wide area (provinces of Valencia, Alicante, Castellón, Teruel, Almería y Murcia), related with the period 5300-3800 cal BP (Late Neolithic-Chalcolithic-Early Bronze Age). It was made using Filemaker format, and is linked to a database with all the Bell-Beaker vessels found for the same area.

Research paper thumbnail of Base De Datos De Vasos Campaniformes

This database is one of the data packagaes used in the making of the PhD dissertation "Conne... more This database is one of the data packagaes used in the making of the PhD dissertation "Connecting with the past: social networks in recent Prehistory". It contains information from all the Bell-Beaker vessels known, from a wide area (provinces of Valencia, Alicante, Castellón, Teruel, Almería y Murcia). It was made using Filemaker format, and is linked to a database with all the material culture present for the same area.

Research paper thumbnail of Base Datos De Niveles Con C14 De Vida Corta

Base de datos con niveles arqueológicos datados por c14 y cultura material presente, sobre muestr... more Base de datos con niveles arqueológicos datados por c14 y cultura material presente, sobre muestras de vida corta del centro-este peninsular, desde el 5000-3500 BP.

Research paper thumbnail of Aproximación bayesiana a las dinámicas secuenciales de los campos de hoyos. El caso de Camí de Missena (La Pobla del Duc, València)

Zephyrus, Dec 21, 2023

Resumen: Los poblados de hoyos presentan una problemática particular a la hora de interpretar su ... more Resumen: Los poblados de hoyos presentan una problemática particular a la hora de interpretar su evolución a lo largo del tiempo a causa de su peculiar estratigrafía discontinua. Uno de estos lugares es el Camí de Missena, que fue clasificado como un asentamiento típico del iii milenio cal AC, aunque desde el principio se vieron ciertos datos arqueológicos que remitían a momentos muy anteriores. Se ha utilizado la estadística bayesiana para relacionar las dataciones radiocarbónicas disponibles con características concretas de elementos clave de la cultura material presente con el fin de solucionar este problema, establecer la evolución del asentamiento y para comprobar la validez de la aplicación de este novedoso método en este tipo de lugares y a esta escala. El resultado ha permitido tanto la ubicación temporal de abundantes estructuras negativas no datadas como el establecimiento de diferentes periodos cronoculturales, de forma que se ha concretado más la evolución interna del yacimiento a nivel micro. Estos resultados sugieren la validez del método de predicción bayesiana para este tipo de problemas arqueológicos y su gran potencial en la aplicación tanto a gran escala-macro-como a nivel interno-micro-. Palabras clave: Neolítico; Calcolítico; campos de hoyos; estadística bayesiana; estratigrafía discontinua.

Research paper thumbnail of Neural Networks to Map Archaeological Lithic Artefacts

Inżynieria Mineralna, 2024

An analytical non-destructive strategy to chemically characterize lithic artefacts has been devel... more An analytical non-destructive strategy to chemically characterize lithic artefacts has been developed. Around 100 archaeological lithic materials found in Neolithic-Chalcolithic sites in the Mediterranean region of the Iberian Peninsula and nowadays stored in different museums of the Valencian Community (Spain), were studied. The materials belong to different typologies of rock (diabase, sillimanite, ophite and amphibolite) and were analysed employing portable energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (pXRF) directly in the rock surface. The obtained data were processed through neural networks protocol, specifically the so-called Kohonen networks or Self Organised Maps (SOM), to map the geologic samples. This selforganized topological feature maps are suitable to deal with multidimensional representations and map them in a twodimensional space of neurons, following an unsupervised learning protocol. SOM is used to reduce multidimensional data onto lower-dimensional spaces and clustering procedures. As a result, SOM create spatially organized representations, which enhance the discovery of correlations between data. In this case the method has enabled the evaluation of elemental markers related to each rock type behaving as a fine hidden pattern detector and so understand the possible advantages and disadvantages of the analytical method employed to define provenance issues. The attribution suggested by statistics is mainly driven by the composition of rocks essential minerals which are linked to the different petrogenetic conditions. The results showed that in most of the cases the distribution and dispersion of the chemical profile depend of the kind of rock, and clearly suggest that a good way to identify stone tools raw material procurement is to look for elemental markers, being the prior step to create an approximation to ancient exchange networks and their evolution in a diachronic axis.

Research paper thumbnail of Puntos y líneas. Un estilo decorativo en los albores del Horizonte Campaniforme.

Bilyana, 2024

Between the Late Neolithic and the Chalcolithic Bell Beaker periods, a limited series of decorate... more Between the Late Neolithic and the Chalcolithic Bell Beaker periods, a limited series of decorated ceramics appear alongside bifacial arrowheads and other characteristic features which define this period.
However, these ceramics are characterized by their distinctive decorative style featuring dotted patterns distributed on the vessels in a unique, yet peculiar, manner. Their scarcity and diffuse distribution have perhaps contributed to remain unnoticed, between a clearly dominated period of non-decorated ceramics and another marked by Bell Beaker-style productions.
The aim of this study is precisely to analyse these ceramic assemblages, placing them in the context of the extended millennium that spans from the end of incised ceramics (“Esgrafiadas”) to the beginnings of the Bell
Beaker world.
Through the publication of this article, we hope to shed light on this distinctive approach and encourage reevaluation of fragments that may have been overlooked in the past.

Research paper thumbnail of Beyond the naked eye: Employing machine learning and computer vision to explore Iberian oculated idols decorative patterns

Journal of Archaeological Science Reports, 2024

The study of the Copper Age in the Iberian Peninsula uncovers many enigmas, among them the oculat... more The study of the Copper Age in the Iberian Peninsula uncovers many enigmas, among them the oculated idols. Characterized by their distinctive eye-shaped motifs on long bones, these idols provide a window into the Chalcolithic communities' symbolic world. However, conventional archaeological techniques have fallen short in fully deciphering their narratives. This study uses advanced machine learning techniques to examine the decorative patterns on these oculated idols. We introduce a toolkit called ImageClusterVis, which utilizes computer vision algorithms to extract features more effectively. By applying Gaussian Mixture Models, Spectral Clustering, and Self-Organizing Maps, we can identify and classify patterns that are not visible to the human eye. Our approach helps uncover artistic variations and regional differences in the idols that have not been recognized in past research, showcasing the potential of machine learning to reveal new dimensions of ancient art. Lay Summary: The analysis of visual patterns in material artefacts has always been a central part of archaeological practice, but it has typically relied on qualitative methods. With the advent of digital archaeology, there has been a growing interest in developing more objective and quantitative techniques to compare and classify artefacts based on visual attributes. In this article, we present a novel methodology that employs computer vision algorithms and machine learning to extract robust visual descriptors and cluster archaeological images in an unsupervised manner. This study explores the world of Copper Age Iberian oculated idols on long bones by examining their decorative patterns, to uncover new insights into the regional distinctions, and cultural significances of these enigmatic figures, revealing a previously unseen depth to Copper Age society and artistry. This novel research not only advances our understanding of prehistoric Iberian cultures but also sets a new case study for the interdisciplinary application of AI in archaeology.

Research paper thumbnail of Connecting arrowheads: Differential transmission of information at the dawn of the Bronze Age

Journal of Lithic Studies, 2024

The study of the relationships between prehistoric social groups is one of the main targets in pr... more The study of the relationships between prehistoric social groups is one of the main targets in present day archaeology. A useful tool to entangle this issue is social network analysis (SNA). Some of the advantages brought by this mathematic approach refer to the possibility of studying relationships through the material culture items, or its capability to integrate different scales of analysis (macro-micro). Moreover, SNA combined with the application of bayesian statistical methods of chronological attribution can create long range diachronic series of relational information, connected with prehistoric social groups dynamics. This methodology enables archaeologists to study archaeological big data from a totally different perspective, not only focused on a descriptive or morphometric point of view. The objective of this work is to apply an SNA procedure, together with a recently developed bayesian tool of chronological attribution, to archaeological sites located in the East of the Iberian Peninsula during the 4th and 3rd millennium cal. BCE using chert arrowheads as an archaeological proxy, due to the chronologic implications their morphology has, in the referred geographic frame. It is our specific target to analyse the transition between the Bell-Beaker world and the Bronze Age, through the differential transmission of information and the time-space variability present in the archaeological record, through the study of relationships between chert arrowheads assemblages. In order to do so, we will build a relational framework between the social communities present in the Late Neolithic-Copper Age through the chert arrowheads morphologic typologies, and we will apply SNA to characterize the resulting networks. Furthermore, we will propose a new metric to quantify the cultural fragmentation using community detection algorithms, in a diachronic axis, to identify groups of sites with homogeneous technological behaviour, to check the initial hypothesis which points to the existence of periods of cultural homogeneity followed by others in which fragmentation-regionalization is dominant.

Research paper thumbnail of Conectando con el pasado. Redes sociales en la Prehistoria Reciente

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), May 22, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Redes, complejidad y arqueología: otra forma de ver el pasado

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), May 23, 2018

Trabajo Fin de Master Master en Arqueología por la UVEG. Trabajo acerca del Social Network Analys... more Trabajo Fin de Master Master en Arqueología por la UVEG. Trabajo acerca del Social Network Analysis aplicado a la arqueología.

Research paper thumbnail of The chronology of archaeological assemblages based on an automatic Bayesian procedure: Eastern Iberia as study case

Journal of Archaeological Science, Mar 1, 2022

The purpose of this work is to show an automatic Bayesian procedure to obtain accurate chronologi... more The purpose of this work is to show an automatic Bayesian procedure to obtain accurate chronological information of archaeological assemblages characterized by palimpsest or without radiocarbon dates and whose temporal information comes only from bifacial flint arrowheads. In this paper, a classification method based on the Dirichlet-multinomial inferential process and its posterior predictive probability distribution is discussed. Its purpose is to predict the chronological period of undated archaeological assemblages (levels or sites) by means of a Bayesian predictive process based on the posterior distribution of each bifacial flint arrowhead types in the Eastern Iberia during the 4th and 3rd millennium cal. BC. The results obtained suggest that this approach is very useful to achieve an accurate chronology when other archaeological information is not available, or it is not conclusive.

Research paper thumbnail of Linking Up Bell Beakers in the Iberian Peninsula

Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, 2023

Many studies in complexity theory employ agent-based models whose interactions can be expressed a... more Many studies in complexity theory employ agent-based models whose interactions can be expressed as networks. In such models, the pattern of interactions between actors is crucial, and the network topology that emerges from the raw data can be characterized through many metrics. One tool previously used in archaeology studies has the potential to deal with networks in social contexts at different scales of analysis: social network analysis (SNA). This discipline has been applied successfully in a wide range of archaeological problems, providing valuable insights and a different perspective. It also could be helpful to quantify concepts associated with social complexity, such as robustness or resilience. In this work, we propose some methodologic possibilities for consideration in the phase definition of the adaptive cycle model (ACM), using SNA tools. To illustrate the process, we will present a case study from the Copper Age in the Iberian Peninsula: the Bell Beaker phase.

Research paper thumbnail of A multi-stage Bayesian modelling for building the chronocultural sequence of the Late Mesolithic at Cueva de la Cocina (Valencia, Eastern Iberia)

Quaternary International, 2023

This paper presents a refined Mesolithic chronocultural sequence as a result of matching data pro... more This paper presents a refined Mesolithic chronocultural sequence as a result of matching data provided by the set of archaeological research conducted at Cueva de la Cocina (Valencia, Spain) in the 20th and 21st centuries and the new radiocarbon dates record. Because available data are of different quality, we apply a methodological framework based on Bayesian modelling approaches. To do this, we systematically order each one of the archaeological registers and then combine the information in a unitary general chronology. Our novel approach introduces Bayesian modelling from a double analytical procedure: using Bayesian chronological models applied to the stratigraphic sequence of Pericot's excavation in Cocina cave we build a general phase model using data from multiple years of archaeological fieldwork. One the most reliable layers have been defined, we use this information to define the rest of the sequence through a Predictive Bayesian approach. This approach sheds light on evolutionary questions from a macroscale regarding the socioecological dynamics of the last hunter-gatherers and their role for explaining the subsequent agricultural spread.

Research paper thumbnail of Weaving social networks from cultural similarities on the neolithisation process in the Western Mediterranean: Evolutionary trajectories using projectile tools

PLOS ONE, 2024

In this paper, we concentrate on the neolithisation process in Mediterranean Iberia through a dia... more In this paper, we concentrate on the neolithisation process in Mediterranean Iberia through a diachronic view (from 8600-6800 cal. BP), focusing on social interaction as a factor in articulating new cultural ties. To do this, we apply techniques centred on similarities in material culture by applying Social Network Analysis (SNA). For the first time, we point to the geometric projectiles, taking into account their recurrence in both Mesolithic and Neolithic groups as part of their characteristic hunting equipment. We hypothesise that patterns of cultural variability would express the changing flow of information between communities according to their mobility strategies (last hunter-gatherer groups), including economic and social behaviour, and that these relationships will be restructured with the arrival of the newcomer farmers and herders and their new spatial and social arrangement. The results obtained allow us to describe a connected and homogeneous Late Mesolithic network dramatically structured by the Neolithic arrival. Since then, a heterogenous pattern emerged, involving connected periods, network ruptures, and small-world phenomena. The emergence of this characteristic could support the flow of information when the network presents a clustered structure, the last probably due to regionalisation events. These diachronic dynamics fit well with demographic and socioecological trends observed from regional literature.

Research paper thumbnail of Sieci neuronowe do mapowania archeologicznych artefaktów litowych

Inżynieria Mineralna, Jun 23, 2024

An analytical non-destructive strategy to chemically characterize lithic artefacts has been devel... more An analytical non-destructive strategy to chemically characterize lithic artefacts has been developed. Around 100 archaeological lithic materials found in Neolithic-Chalcolithic sites in the Mediterranean region of the Iberian Peninsula and nowadays stored in different museums of the Valencian Community (Spain), were studied. The materials belong to different typologies of rock (diabase, sillimanite, ophite and amphibolite) and were analysed employing portable energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (pXRF) directly in the rock surface. The obtained data were processed through neural networks protocol, specifically the so-called Kohonen networks or Self Organised Maps (SOM), to map the geologic samples. This selforganized topological feature maps are suitable to deal with multidimensional representations and map them in a twodimensional space of neurons, following an unsupervised learning protocol. SOM is used to reduce multidimensional data onto lower-dimensional spaces and clustering procedures. As a result, SOM create spatially organized representations, which enhance the discovery of correlations between data. In this case the method has enabled the evaluation of elemental markers related to each rock type behaving as a fine hidden pattern detector and so understand the possible advantages and disadvantages of the analytical method employed to define provenance issues. The attribution suggested by statistics is mainly driven by the composition of rocks essential minerals which are linked to the different petrogenetic conditions. The results showed that in most of the cases the distribution and dispersion of the chemical profile depend of the kind of rock, and clearly suggest that a good way to identify stone tools raw material procurement is to look for elemental markers, being the prior step to create an approximation to ancient exchange networks and their evolution in a diachronic axis.

Research paper thumbnail of Beyond the naked eye: Employing machine learning and computer vision to explore Iberian oculated idols decorative patterns

Journal of archaeological science: Reports/Journal of archaeological science: reports, May 1, 2024

The study of the Copper Age in the Iberian Peninsula uncovers many enigmas, among them the oculat... more The study of the Copper Age in the Iberian Peninsula uncovers many enigmas, among them the oculated idols. Characterized by their distinctive eye-shaped motifs on long bones, these idols provide a window into the Chalcolithic communities' symbolic world. However, conventional archaeological techniques have fallen short in fully deciphering their narratives. This study uses advanced machine learning techniques to examine the decorative patterns on these oculated idols. We introduce a toolkit called ImageClusterVis, which utilizes computer vision algorithms to extract features more effectively. By applying Gaussian Mixture Models, Spectral Clustering, and Self-Organizing Maps, we can identify and classify patterns that are not visible to the human eye. Our approach helps uncover artistic variations and regional differences in the idols that have not been recognized in past research, showcasing the potential of machine learning to reveal new dimensions of ancient art. Lay Summary: The analysis of visual patterns in material artefacts has always been a central part of archaeological practice, but it has typically relied on qualitative methods. With the advent of digital archaeology, there has been a growing interest in developing more objective and quantitative techniques to compare and classify artefacts based on visual attributes. In this article, we present a novel methodology that employs computer vision algorithms and machine learning to extract robust visual descriptors and cluster archaeological images in an unsupervised manner. This study explores the world of Copper Age Iberian oculated idols on long bones by examining their decorative patterns, to uncover new insights into the regional distinctions, and cultural significances of these enigmatic figures, revealing a previously unseen depth to Copper Age society and artistry. This novel research not only advances our understanding of prehistoric Iberian cultures but also sets a new case study for the interdisciplinary application of AI in archaeology.

Research paper thumbnail of Bell Beaker Data Base for the Iberian Peninsula Eastern Facade

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Jan 27, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Linking up Bell beakers in the Iberian Peninsula: Supplementary Material

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Jul 5, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of pXRF Lithic tools database

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Apr 14, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Connecting arrowheads: Differential transmission of information at the dawn of the Bronze Age

Journal of Lithic Studies, Nov 14, 2024

The study of the relationships between prehistoric social groups is one of the main targets in pr... more The study of the relationships between prehistoric social groups is one of the main targets in present day archaeology. A useful tool to entangle this issue is social network analysis (SNA). Some of the advantages brought by this mathematic approach refer to the possibility of studying relationships through the material culture items, or its capability to integrate different scales of analysis (macro-micro). Moreover, SNA combined with the application of bayesian statistical methods of chronological attribution can create long range diachronic series of relational information, connected with prehistoric social groups dynamics. This methodology enables archaeologists to study archaeological big data from a totally different perspective, not only focused on a descriptive or morphometric point of view. The objective of this work is to apply an SNA procedure, together with a recently developed bayesian tool of chronological attribution, to archaeological sites located in the East of the Iberian Peninsula during the 4th and 3rd millennium cal. BCE using chert arrowheads as an archaeological proxy, due to the chronologic implications their morphology has, in the referred geographic frame. It is our specific target to analyse the transition between the Bell-Beaker world and the Bronze Age, through the differential transmission of information and the time-space variability present in the archaeological record, through the study of relationships between chert arrowheads assemblages. In order to do so, we will build a relational framework between the social communities present in the Late Neolithic-Copper Age through the chert arrowheads morphologic typologies, and we will apply SNA to characterize the resulting networks. Furthermore, we will propose a new metric to quantify the cultural fragmentation using community detection algorithms, in a diachronic axis, to identify groups of sites with homogeneous technological behaviour, to check the initial hypothesis which points to the existence of periods of cultural homogeneity followed by others in which fragmentation-regionalization is dominant.

Research paper thumbnail of Base De Datos De Cultura Material Calcolítico Mediterráneo

This database is one of the data packagaes used in the making of the PhD dissertation "Conne... more This database is one of the data packagaes used in the making of the PhD dissertation "Connecting with the past: social networks in recent Prehistory". It contains information of counts for all the archaeological artifacts collected during the passing of the PhD works. It contains archaeological information from a wide area (provinces of Valencia, Alicante, Castellón, Teruel, Almería y Murcia), related with the period 5300-3800 cal BP (Late Neolithic-Chalcolithic-Early Bronze Age). It was made using Filemaker format, and is linked to a database with all the Bell-Beaker vessels found for the same area.

Research paper thumbnail of Base De Datos De Vasos Campaniformes

This database is one of the data packagaes used in the making of the PhD dissertation "Conne... more This database is one of the data packagaes used in the making of the PhD dissertation "Connecting with the past: social networks in recent Prehistory". It contains information from all the Bell-Beaker vessels known, from a wide area (provinces of Valencia, Alicante, Castellón, Teruel, Almería y Murcia). It was made using Filemaker format, and is linked to a database with all the material culture present for the same area.

Research paper thumbnail of Base Datos De Niveles Con C14 De Vida Corta

Base de datos con niveles arqueológicos datados por c14 y cultura material presente, sobre muestr... more Base de datos con niveles arqueológicos datados por c14 y cultura material presente, sobre muestras de vida corta del centro-este peninsular, desde el 5000-3500 BP.

Research paper thumbnail of Aproximación bayesiana a las dinámicas secuenciales de los campos de hoyos. El caso de Camí de Missena (La Pobla del Duc, València)

Zephyrus, Dec 21, 2023

Resumen: Los poblados de hoyos presentan una problemática particular a la hora de interpretar su ... more Resumen: Los poblados de hoyos presentan una problemática particular a la hora de interpretar su evolución a lo largo del tiempo a causa de su peculiar estratigrafía discontinua. Uno de estos lugares es el Camí de Missena, que fue clasificado como un asentamiento típico del iii milenio cal AC, aunque desde el principio se vieron ciertos datos arqueológicos que remitían a momentos muy anteriores. Se ha utilizado la estadística bayesiana para relacionar las dataciones radiocarbónicas disponibles con características concretas de elementos clave de la cultura material presente con el fin de solucionar este problema, establecer la evolución del asentamiento y para comprobar la validez de la aplicación de este novedoso método en este tipo de lugares y a esta escala. El resultado ha permitido tanto la ubicación temporal de abundantes estructuras negativas no datadas como el establecimiento de diferentes periodos cronoculturales, de forma que se ha concretado más la evolución interna del yacimiento a nivel micro. Estos resultados sugieren la validez del método de predicción bayesiana para este tipo de problemas arqueológicos y su gran potencial en la aplicación tanto a gran escala-macro-como a nivel interno-micro-. Palabras clave: Neolítico; Calcolítico; campos de hoyos; estadística bayesiana; estratigrafía discontinua.

Research paper thumbnail of Neural Networks to Map Archaeological Lithic Artefacts

Inżynieria Mineralna, 2024

An analytical non-destructive strategy to chemically characterize lithic artefacts has been devel... more An analytical non-destructive strategy to chemically characterize lithic artefacts has been developed. Around 100 archaeological lithic materials found in Neolithic-Chalcolithic sites in the Mediterranean region of the Iberian Peninsula and nowadays stored in different museums of the Valencian Community (Spain), were studied. The materials belong to different typologies of rock (diabase, sillimanite, ophite and amphibolite) and were analysed employing portable energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (pXRF) directly in the rock surface. The obtained data were processed through neural networks protocol, specifically the so-called Kohonen networks or Self Organised Maps (SOM), to map the geologic samples. This selforganized topological feature maps are suitable to deal with multidimensional representations and map them in a twodimensional space of neurons, following an unsupervised learning protocol. SOM is used to reduce multidimensional data onto lower-dimensional spaces and clustering procedures. As a result, SOM create spatially organized representations, which enhance the discovery of correlations between data. In this case the method has enabled the evaluation of elemental markers related to each rock type behaving as a fine hidden pattern detector and so understand the possible advantages and disadvantages of the analytical method employed to define provenance issues. The attribution suggested by statistics is mainly driven by the composition of rocks essential minerals which are linked to the different petrogenetic conditions. The results showed that in most of the cases the distribution and dispersion of the chemical profile depend of the kind of rock, and clearly suggest that a good way to identify stone tools raw material procurement is to look for elemental markers, being the prior step to create an approximation to ancient exchange networks and their evolution in a diachronic axis.

Research paper thumbnail of Puntos y líneas. Un estilo decorativo en los albores del Horizonte Campaniforme.

Bilyana, 2024

Between the Late Neolithic and the Chalcolithic Bell Beaker periods, a limited series of decorate... more Between the Late Neolithic and the Chalcolithic Bell Beaker periods, a limited series of decorated ceramics appear alongside bifacial arrowheads and other characteristic features which define this period.
However, these ceramics are characterized by their distinctive decorative style featuring dotted patterns distributed on the vessels in a unique, yet peculiar, manner. Their scarcity and diffuse distribution have perhaps contributed to remain unnoticed, between a clearly dominated period of non-decorated ceramics and another marked by Bell Beaker-style productions.
The aim of this study is precisely to analyse these ceramic assemblages, placing them in the context of the extended millennium that spans from the end of incised ceramics (“Esgrafiadas”) to the beginnings of the Bell
Beaker world.
Through the publication of this article, we hope to shed light on this distinctive approach and encourage reevaluation of fragments that may have been overlooked in the past.

Research paper thumbnail of Beyond the naked eye: Employing machine learning and computer vision to explore Iberian oculated idols decorative patterns

Journal of Archaeological Science Reports, 2024

The study of the Copper Age in the Iberian Peninsula uncovers many enigmas, among them the oculat... more The study of the Copper Age in the Iberian Peninsula uncovers many enigmas, among them the oculated idols. Characterized by their distinctive eye-shaped motifs on long bones, these idols provide a window into the Chalcolithic communities' symbolic world. However, conventional archaeological techniques have fallen short in fully deciphering their narratives. This study uses advanced machine learning techniques to examine the decorative patterns on these oculated idols. We introduce a toolkit called ImageClusterVis, which utilizes computer vision algorithms to extract features more effectively. By applying Gaussian Mixture Models, Spectral Clustering, and Self-Organizing Maps, we can identify and classify patterns that are not visible to the human eye. Our approach helps uncover artistic variations and regional differences in the idols that have not been recognized in past research, showcasing the potential of machine learning to reveal new dimensions of ancient art. Lay Summary: The analysis of visual patterns in material artefacts has always been a central part of archaeological practice, but it has typically relied on qualitative methods. With the advent of digital archaeology, there has been a growing interest in developing more objective and quantitative techniques to compare and classify artefacts based on visual attributes. In this article, we present a novel methodology that employs computer vision algorithms and machine learning to extract robust visual descriptors and cluster archaeological images in an unsupervised manner. This study explores the world of Copper Age Iberian oculated idols on long bones by examining their decorative patterns, to uncover new insights into the regional distinctions, and cultural significances of these enigmatic figures, revealing a previously unseen depth to Copper Age society and artistry. This novel research not only advances our understanding of prehistoric Iberian cultures but also sets a new case study for the interdisciplinary application of AI in archaeology.

Research paper thumbnail of Connecting arrowheads: Differential transmission of information at the dawn of the Bronze Age

Journal of Lithic Studies, 2024

The study of the relationships between prehistoric social groups is one of the main targets in pr... more The study of the relationships between prehistoric social groups is one of the main targets in present day archaeology. A useful tool to entangle this issue is social network analysis (SNA). Some of the advantages brought by this mathematic approach refer to the possibility of studying relationships through the material culture items, or its capability to integrate different scales of analysis (macro-micro). Moreover, SNA combined with the application of bayesian statistical methods of chronological attribution can create long range diachronic series of relational information, connected with prehistoric social groups dynamics. This methodology enables archaeologists to study archaeological big data from a totally different perspective, not only focused on a descriptive or morphometric point of view. The objective of this work is to apply an SNA procedure, together with a recently developed bayesian tool of chronological attribution, to archaeological sites located in the East of the Iberian Peninsula during the 4th and 3rd millennium cal. BCE using chert arrowheads as an archaeological proxy, due to the chronologic implications their morphology has, in the referred geographic frame. It is our specific target to analyse the transition between the Bell-Beaker world and the Bronze Age, through the differential transmission of information and the time-space variability present in the archaeological record, through the study of relationships between chert arrowheads assemblages. In order to do so, we will build a relational framework between the social communities present in the Late Neolithic-Copper Age through the chert arrowheads morphologic typologies, and we will apply SNA to characterize the resulting networks. Furthermore, we will propose a new metric to quantify the cultural fragmentation using community detection algorithms, in a diachronic axis, to identify groups of sites with homogeneous technological behaviour, to check the initial hypothesis which points to the existence of periods of cultural homogeneity followed by others in which fragmentation-regionalization is dominant.

Research paper thumbnail of Conectando con el pasado. Redes sociales en la Prehistoria Reciente

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), May 22, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Redes, complejidad y arqueología: otra forma de ver el pasado

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), May 23, 2018

Trabajo Fin de Master Master en Arqueología por la UVEG. Trabajo acerca del Social Network Analys... more Trabajo Fin de Master Master en Arqueología por la UVEG. Trabajo acerca del Social Network Analysis aplicado a la arqueología.

Research paper thumbnail of The chronology of archaeological assemblages based on an automatic Bayesian procedure: Eastern Iberia as study case

Journal of Archaeological Science, Mar 1, 2022

The purpose of this work is to show an automatic Bayesian procedure to obtain accurate chronologi... more The purpose of this work is to show an automatic Bayesian procedure to obtain accurate chronological information of archaeological assemblages characterized by palimpsest or without radiocarbon dates and whose temporal information comes only from bifacial flint arrowheads. In this paper, a classification method based on the Dirichlet-multinomial inferential process and its posterior predictive probability distribution is discussed. Its purpose is to predict the chronological period of undated archaeological assemblages (levels or sites) by means of a Bayesian predictive process based on the posterior distribution of each bifacial flint arrowhead types in the Eastern Iberia during the 4th and 3rd millennium cal. BC. The results obtained suggest that this approach is very useful to achieve an accurate chronology when other archaeological information is not available, or it is not conclusive.

Research paper thumbnail of Linking Up Bell Beakers in the Iberian Peninsula

Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, 2023

Many studies in complexity theory employ agent-based models whose interactions can be expressed a... more Many studies in complexity theory employ agent-based models whose interactions can be expressed as networks. In such models, the pattern of interactions between actors is crucial, and the network topology that emerges from the raw data can be characterized through many metrics. One tool previously used in archaeology studies has the potential to deal with networks in social contexts at different scales of analysis: social network analysis (SNA). This discipline has been applied successfully in a wide range of archaeological problems, providing valuable insights and a different perspective. It also could be helpful to quantify concepts associated with social complexity, such as robustness or resilience. In this work, we propose some methodologic possibilities for consideration in the phase definition of the adaptive cycle model (ACM), using SNA tools. To illustrate the process, we will present a case study from the Copper Age in the Iberian Peninsula: the Bell Beaker phase.

Research paper thumbnail of A multi-stage Bayesian modelling for building the chronocultural sequence of the Late Mesolithic at Cueva de la Cocina (Valencia, Eastern Iberia)

Quaternary International, 2023

This paper presents a refined Mesolithic chronocultural sequence as a result of matching data pro... more This paper presents a refined Mesolithic chronocultural sequence as a result of matching data provided by the set of archaeological research conducted at Cueva de la Cocina (Valencia, Spain) in the 20th and 21st centuries and the new radiocarbon dates record. Because available data are of different quality, we apply a methodological framework based on Bayesian modelling approaches. To do this, we systematically order each one of the archaeological registers and then combine the information in a unitary general chronology. Our novel approach introduces Bayesian modelling from a double analytical procedure: using Bayesian chronological models applied to the stratigraphic sequence of Pericot's excavation in Cocina cave we build a general phase model using data from multiple years of archaeological fieldwork. One the most reliable layers have been defined, we use this information to define the rest of the sequence through a Predictive Bayesian approach. This approach sheds light on evolutionary questions from a macroscale regarding the socioecological dynamics of the last hunter-gatherers and their role for explaining the subsequent agricultural spread.

Research paper thumbnail of Una base de datos radiométrica para el análisis de las dinámicas socioecológicas de los últimos recolectores y las primeras sociedades agropecuarias de la península Ibérica

Métodos cronométricos en Arqueología, Prehistoria y Palentología, 2020

En este capítulo se describe el diseño, manejo y la gestión de una base de datos radiométrica cen... more En este capítulo se describe el diseño, manejo y la gestión de una base de datos radiométrica centrada en el estudio del Mesolítico y el Neolítico de la península Ibérica. Las investigaciones sobre el proceso de neolitización en el arco mediterráneo peninsular desarrolladas desde el Departament de Prehistòria, Arqueologia i Història Antiga (Universitat de València) constituyen el origen de la misma, que ha ido completándose a través de diferentes trabajos.

Research paper thumbnail of TRAZANDO RUTAS EN LA EDAD DEL BRONCE TUROLENSE: PERSPECTIVAS DE TRABAJO TRACING ROUTES IN TERUEL'S BRONCE AGE: WORK PERSPECTIVES

The goal of this work is studying the structure of the territory during the Bronce Age, in the pr... more The goal of this work is studying the structure of the territory during the Bronce Age, in the province of Teruel, using GIS tools. So we have localized the most relevant archaelogical sites, and we have elaborated a database with the purpose of crossing it with the DTM from the IGN, corresponfing to the province of Teruel. With all this we have created in QGIS and gvSIG an Archaeological Information System of the area. Using the MDT we have calculated friction maps, with a doule objective: establishing an isotropic cost zone around each ones of the archaeological sites, and also establishing the more effective communication routes between them. The isotropic acumulated cost maps have been useful to create isochronic cost maps which allows us to have an approach to the catchment area of the sites. These maps are suitable for creating a more accurate image adding the topographic variable to the one given by the Thiessen polygons. Resumen: En este trabajo intentamos visualizar la estructura del territorio durante la Edad del Bronce en Teruel mediante herramientas SIG. Para ello, se ha procedido a localizar diversos yacimientos realizando una base de datos, que se ha cruzado con los MDT 200 del IGN correspondientes a la provincia de Teruel, para crear con QGIS y gvSIG un Sistema de Información Arqueológica de la zona. A partir del MDT se han calculado diversos mapas de fricción, con un doble objetivo: establecer una zona de costes isotrópicos alrededor de cada uno de los yacimientos y establecer las vías de comunicación más efectivas entre ellos. El mapa de coste acumulado isotrópico ha servido para crear mapas isócronos de costes de desplazamiento, que proporcionan una aproximación al área de captación de los yacimientos. Estos mapas sirven para enriquecer la imagen obtenida con los polígonos Thiessen al tener en cuenta la variable topográfica. Palabras clave: Edad del Bronce, Teruel, SIG, arqueología del paisaje, coste acumulado isócrono, rutas de menor coste

Research paper thumbnail of TRAZANDO RUTAS EN LA EDAD DEL BRONCE TUROLENSE: PERSPECTIVAS DE TRABAJO

En este trabajo intentamos visualizar la estructura del territorio durante la Edad del Bronce en ... more En este trabajo intentamos visualizar la estructura del territorio durante la Edad del Bronce en Teruel mediante herramientas SIG. Con ello se persigue un doble objetivo: establecer una zona de costes isotrópicos alrededor de cada uno de los yacimientos y, establecer las vías de comunicación más efectivas entre ellos.

Research paper thumbnail of Calcolítico Ibérico, ecos silenciosos del pasado. Redes sociales y adaptación

¿Qué misterios ocultan las antiguas redes sociales que entretejieron la historia de la Península ... more ¿Qué misterios ocultan las antiguas redes sociales que entretejieron la historia de la Península Ibérica?
En "Calcolítico Ibérico, ecos silenciosos del pasado. Redes sociales y adaptación”, a través de un enfoque multidisciplinar que une arqueología, informática y estadística, se desentrañan los secretos de las sociedades del Neolítico Final y el Vaso Campaniforme, mostrándonos cómo sus complejas interacciones han dado forma al mundo tal y como lo conocemos.
Desde la resiliencia de las comunidades hasta los patrones de intercambio y adaptación que han perdurado milenios, el autor nos ofrece una perspectiva inédita que conecta el pasado con los desafíos sociales de hoy.
Aplicando conceptos modernos como la teoría de redes a los vestigios arqueológicos, el autor revela patrones de interacción, intercambio y adaptación que han persistido a lo largo de milenios. Este enfoque innovador no sólo arroja luz sobre las dinámicas sociales del III milenio a.C., sino que también proporciona herramientas para comprender mejor los desafíos sociales actuales.
Con una narrativa envolvente y un análisis profundo, " Calcolítico Ibérico, ecos silenciosos del pasado. Redes sociales y adaptación " descubre las raíces de nuestro presente en las conexiones del pasado.