Related Papers
MENGA. REVISTA DE PREHISTORIA DE ANDALUCÍA // Nº 05. 2014. PP. 15-41
Zoomorphic Figurines and the problem of human-animal relationship in the Neolithic and Chalcolithic Southwest Iberia
2014 •
Lucy Shaw Evangelista, Patrícia Castanheira, António Carlos Valera
Late Neolithic and Chalcolithic Southwest Iberian zoomorphic figurines stand out in the context of zoomorphic representations for their scarcity, most of them occurring in funerary contexts. They have mainly been described or simply referred and not given rightful thought. This paper proposes a review of some traditional readings, conceptualizing these figurines under the scope of a wider perspective, rehearsing social roles and focusing on the human/animal relation in prehistoric Iberia. Summarizing all known occurrences and analysing species, style, size and context of appearance, the understanding of the social roles they have played, by focusing on prehistoric ontologies and cognitive processes has been attempted. Hanging on the constant thread of being and representing, the paper presents alternative ways of interpreting these figurines, using current approaches towards the comprehension of the prehistoric mind and society
Zoomorphic figurines and the problem of human-animal relationship in the Neolithic and Chalcolithic southwest Iberia / Figuras zoomórficas y el problema de las relaciones humanos-animales en el Neolítico y Calcolítico del sudoeste de la Península Ibérica
Conjunto Arqueológico Dólmenes de Antequera Junta de Andalucía, Patrícia Castanheira
Abstract: Late Neolithic and Chalcolithic Southwest Iberian zoomorphic figurines stand out in the context of zoomorphic representations for their scarcity, most of them occurring in funerary contexts. They have mainly been described or simply referred and not given rightful thought. This paper proposes a review of some traditional readings, conceptualizing these figurines under the scope of a wider perspective, rehearsing social roles and focusing on the human/animal relation in prehistoric Iberia. Summarizing all known occurrences and analyzing species, style, size and context of appearance, the understanding of the social roles they have played, by focusing on prehistoric ontologies and cognitive processes has been attempted. Hanging on the constant thread of being and representing, the paper presents alternative ways of interpreting these figurines, using current approaches towards the comprehension of the prehistoric mind and society. Resumen: Las figuritas zoomórficas del Neolítico Final y Calcolítico del Sudoeste Ibérico destacan en el contexto de las representaciones zoomórficas por su escasez, apareciendo casi siempre en contextos funerarios. Generalmente han sido apenas descritas o mencionadas, sin haber merecido un análisis más en profundidad. En este artículo se propone el estudio de estas figuritas, revisando algunas lecturas tradicionales y conceptualizándolas en base a una perspectiva más amplia, ensayando papeles sociales y con enfoque sobre la relación entre humanos y animales en la Iberia prehistórica. Resumiendo todos los casos conocidos y analizando especies, estilos, tallas y contexto de aparición, hemos intentado comprender los papeles sociales que han desempeñado, centrándonos en las ontologías y procesos cognitivos prehistóricos. Pendiendo del hilo constante de ser y representar, este artículo presenta modos alternativos de interpretar estas figuritas a través de planteamientos actuales dirigidos a la comprensión de la sociedad y la mente prehistóricas.
Recent Prehistoric Enclosures and Funerary Practices in Europe, BAR, 2676
Funerary practices and body manipulations at Neolithic and Chalcolithic Perdigões ditched enclosures (South Portugal).
2014 •
António Carlos Valera, Lucy Shaw Evangelista, Ana Maria Silva
This paper presents an actualize perspective of the available data for funerary practices and body manipulations in Perdigões ditched enclosures, as well as their chronological time span (Lete Neolithci and Chalcolithic). Specific anthropological information is also provided. These practices are integrated with the overall available data in the context of a global discussion and interpretation of the site.
Stable isotope analysis of human remains from Los Millares cemetery (Almería, Spain, C. 3200-2200 cal BC): regional comparisons and dietary variability
2017 •
Robert Tykot
STABLE ISOTOPE ANALYSIS OF HUMAN REMAINS FROM LOS MILLARES (ALMERÍA, SPAIN, C. 2500-1800 BC): REGIONAL COMPARISONS AND DIETARY VARIABILITY
Anna Waterman, Jess Beck, JT Thomas
Animal remains in Chalcolithic funerary context in Portugal: the case of Perdigões (Reguengos de Monsaraz, Alentejo)
2006 •
Lucy Shaw Evangelista
Fragmentation and Depositions in Pre and Proto-Historic Portugal
SEGMENTING AND DEPOSITING: THE MANIPULATION OF THE HUMAN BODY IN DITCHED ENCLOSURES SEEN FROM PERDIGÕES.
2019 •
Lucy Shaw Evangelista, António Carlos Valera
The investigation of the peninsular Recent Prehistory ditched enclosures has been revealing the importance that funerary practices and the manipulation of human remains have assumed in these contexts. Among a significant diversity of situations, architectures and material assemblages are deposition practices of articulated or disarticulated human remains inside ditches. Documenting fragmentation (of bodies) and different forms of deposition of human remains, this evidence allows the exploration of the heuristic potential of the theories that propose the intentionality present in these practices, in a context of greater ontological fluidity and permeability. This work will address and describe the currently available anthropological and contextual data regarding human remains found in ditches in the Perdigões archaeological complex, dated from the late Middle Neolithic, Late Neolithic and Chalcolithic. A contextualization within the wider Iberian reality will also be attempted, seeking to discuss the interpretative possibilities that rise in face of the occurrence of human remains in ditch fillings, framed within a more comprehensive context of intentional practices of fragmentation and structured depositions occurring on the site.
Bioarchaeological Approaches to Social Organization at Jaén (Spain)
Jess Beck
Within Iberia increasing attention has been paid to the unprecedented emergence of large-scale villages, or “macro-villages”, during the third millennium cal BC. Bioarchaeology has the potential to make significant contributions to our understanding of macro-village organization through a reconstruction of both demography and mortuary treatment. The 113-ha site of Marroquíes in Jaén, Spain, represents one of the largest villages known for the Copper Age. Here, results of the bioarchaeological analyses of three previously unstudied necropolises are presented, representing a minimum number of individuals (MNI) of 280. This sample includes 201 adults and 79 subadults; assessments of sex were possible for 105/201 (52%) adults, producing a count of 46 females or probable females, 28 individuals of indeterminate sex, and 31 males or probable males. Chi-square tests and Fisher’s exact tests showed no significant differences in age or sex between the three mortuary populations. Instead, mortuary practices were communal, and individuals of both sexes and almost all ages were interred in primary, secondary, or commingled burials. Limited evidence of age-based or sex- based mortuary differentiation, in tandem with the synchronic maintenance of multiple necropolises, suggests that mortuary decisions were focused on the identities of the social groups responsible for burying the dead.
hom*o : internationale Zeitschrift für die vergleichende Forschung am Menschen
Collective secondary cremation in a pit grave: a unique funerary context in Portuguese Chalcolithic burial practices
2015 •
Cláudia Costa
Perdigões is a large site with a set of ditched enclosures located at Reguengos de Monsaraz, Alentejo, South Portugal. Recently at the central area of this site burnt human remains were found in a pit (#16). This structure had inside human remains, animal bones (namely pig, sheep or goat, cattle, dog, deer and rabbit), shards, ivory idols and arrowheads. All have been subjected to fire and later deposited in that pit, resulting in a secondary disposal of human bones. The recovered fragmented human bones (4845.18 g) correspond to a minimal number of 9 individuals: 6 adults and 3 sub-adults. The aim of this work is to document and interpret this funerary context based on the study of the recovered human remains. For that purpose, observations of all alterations due to fire, such as colour change and type of bone distortion, as well as anthropological data were collected. The data obtained suggest that these human remains were probably intentionally cremated, carefully collected and fi...
Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences
Burial taphonomy and megalithic ritual practices in Iberia: the Panoría cemetery
Francisco Javier Esquivel Sánchez
Our ability to build precise narratives regarding megalithic funerary rituals largely depends on an accurate understanding of bone assemblage formation. The cemetery of Panoría offers an excellent opportunity for exploring the ritual variability through the study of funerary taphonomy, as four of the nine recently excavated dolmens are remarkably well-preserved. Based on a multi-proxy approach that includes the contextual archaeological features, skeletal preservation and representation indexes, taphonomic processes, and radiocarbon chronology, three main ritual practices can be outlined: (i) primary sequential inhumations followed by the differential in situ decomposition of skeletal remains; (ii) the selective removal of crania and long bones; and (iii) the curation of subadult crania and probably long bones. The use-life of tombs, the intensity of mortuary depositions, and the intentional protection of specific bones appear as key aspects for understanding the variability in bone...
