A New Perspective on Copper Age Technology, Economy and Settlement: Grinding Tools at the Valencina Mega-Site

Activity patterns at large prehistoric sites are often difficult to interpret, as they frequently combine productive, domestic and funerary components. Valencina, the largest of the Copper Age mega-sites in Iberia, has proved particularly challenging in this regard. Macrolithic tool assemblages have...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of world prehistory 2020-12, Vol.33 (4), p.513-559
Main Authors: Martínez-Sevilla, Francisco, García Sanjuán, Leonardo, Lozano Rodríguez, José Antonio, Martínez Jordán, Juan Manuel, Scarre, Chris, Vargas Jiménez, Juan Manuel, Pajuelo Pando, Ana, López Aldana, Pedro
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anthropology
Archaeology
Copper
Grinding tools
Lithic
Social Sciences
Technology
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Summary:Activity patterns at large prehistoric sites are often difficult to interpret, as they frequently combine productive, domestic and funerary components. Valencina, the largest of the Copper Age mega-sites in Iberia, has proved particularly challenging in this regard. Macrolithic tool assemblages have been generally neglected in these debates but can provide specific insight into the nature and patterning of activities. In this study, 185 grinding tools from seven separate excavations across this 450 ha mega-site were subjected to multiple lines of analysis including quantification, morphology, raw material, use-wear and depositional context. A surprising feature of this assemblage is the high degree of fragmentation, with more than half of the items representing less than 25% of the original artefact and only a small minority of them (
ISSN:0892-7537
1573-7802
DOI:10.1007/s10963-020-09150-4