Papers by Alejandro Prieto
Journal of Open Archaeology Data, 2024
The dataset presented here is the quartzite and quartz reference collection from the National Res... more The dataset presented here is the quartzite and quartz reference collection from the National Research Centre of Human Evolution of Spain (CENIEH), Burgos. This dataset or online lithotheque consists of 73 archaeological and geological samples obtained in different projects in which the CENIEH has been involved in the last 15 years. Most of the samples described here were collected from the Iberian Peninsula, while a few others were chosen from Eastern Africa. The samples have been petrographically described using thin section, stereomicroscopy and de visu petrographic observations and they have been characterised according to their petrogenesis. This dataset consists of a comprehensive report, an alphanumeric dataset with relevant features and an extensive picture archive. The dataset collection is stored at the CENIEH and it is open for researchers who want to use it for establishing their reference collection and describing quartzites in archaeological contexts.
En la Arqueología paleolítica de la región cantábrica, a diferencia de lo que ha venido sucediend... more En la Arqueología paleolítica de la región cantábrica, a diferencia de lo que ha venido sucediendo con los periodos postpaleolíticos, el desarrollo a lo largo del último siglo ha atendido más a la esfera metodológica que al cuerpo teórico de la disciplina (con las correspondientes salvedades). Los motivos para ello trascienden al marco cantábrico o peninsular, y entre ellos deberíamos anotar la escasez de referentes etnoarqueológicos para comprender a los grupos de cazadores-recolectores, la escala cronológica (para estas fases, de rango más geológico que histórico), el relativo bajo peso de las corrientes de investigación anglosajona o el asentamiento muy temprano de un estado de opinión que mimetizaba modelos importados del sur de Francia, sin demasiadas adaptaciones. En efecto, desde hace aproximadamente cien años nuestra visión del Paleolítico cantábrico se ha construido sobre la base de la excavación interdisciplinar en yacimientos bajo cueva, con secuencias más o menos prolongadas y la publicación de sus resultados en formato de monografías. Una tradición tan larga ha dado lugar al espejismo de continuidad en el hábitat y de establecimientos muy prolongados en el tiempo, casi estables, con un innegable impacto en el pensamiento. Si queremos avanzar en el conocimiento de aquellas sociedades, debemos superar estas inercias, abriendo la puerta a un nuevo marco teórico, con una visión más dinámica de la movilidad de los cazadores-recolectores, de su noción de territorialidad y de los constructos culturales a los que los pretendemos adscribir.
espanolEn este capitulo resumimos las consideraciones obtenidas en el contexto de las nuevas camp... more espanolEn este capitulo resumimos las consideraciones obtenidas en el contexto de las nuevas campanas de excavacion en Bolinkoba. EuskaraAtal honetan, Bolinkobako indusketa ekinaldi berrietan lortutako informazioa laburbiltzen dugu. EnglishIn this chapter we summarize the information obtained during new excavation seasons in Bolinkoba
Veleia: Minor series, 2023
La monografía que aquí presentamos incluye trabajos presentados y discutidos en el curso del Prim... more La monografía que aquí presentamos incluye trabajos presentados y discutidos en el curso del Primer Encuentro Arqueológico «Oñatiko Unibertsitatea»: Las materias primas líticas en la Prehistoria del Pirineo y la Región Cantábrica, bajo el marco del convenio de colaboración entre la Universidad del País Vasco /Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea y el Ayuntamiento de Oñati. Este encuentro arqueológico se celebró entre el 25 y el 27 de mayo de 2022, gestionado por el Grupo Consolidado de Investigación en Prehistoria (GIZAPRE-IT1435-22). El encuentro se desarrolló en el Aula Magna de la Universidad de Oñati, el primer espacio universitario con el que contamos en el País Vasco, desde mediados del siglo XVI. Fruto de aquellas discusiones nace esta monografía. La lista de publicaciones aquí presentadas es de doce y las hemos organizado en tres bloques, atendiendo a la naturaleza de las mismas. El primer bloque lo ocupan aquellos trabajos que tienen más presentes las perspectivas arqueológicas. Esta sección, compuesta por cinco trabajos explica la relación de las poblaciones prehistóricas desde los yacimientos arqueológicos. Temas como la movilidad o la relación tecno-tipológica y de materias primas son una constante en estos trabajos, si bien, cada uno aporta peculiaridades teóricas de especial relevancia. Para obtener la monografía completa en papel: https://web- argitalpena.adm.ehu.es/listaproductos.asp?IdProducts=UVIPA236176&titulo=Las%20materias%20primas%20l%EDticas%20en%20la%20prehistoria%20del%20Pirineo%20y%20la%20regi%F3n%20cant%E1brica%20%96%20Lithic%20raw%20materials%20during%20the%20Prehistory%20of%20Cantabrian%20and%20Pyrenean%20regions
Recibido el 14 de marzo de 2013. Aceptado el 13 de septiembre de 2013 Resumen. El tránsito entre ... more Recibido el 14 de marzo de 2013. Aceptado el 13 de septiembre de 2013 Resumen. El tránsito entre el final del Gravetiense y el inicio del Solutrense en la Península Ibérica es, en términos geográficos, cronológicos y formales, una cuestión aún por resolver. Este trabajo tiene por objetivo arrojar la mayor cantidad de información, desde el punto de vista cronológico, sobre el tránsito entre ambos momentos crono-culturales a través de una perspectiva crítica. Para ello, hemos seleccionado las dataciones de esta cronología y asociado a ellas datos arqueológicos (industriales, principalmente) para, posteriormente, modelarlas a través del programa Oxcal 4.1.7. El cuadro cronológico generado, nos ha permitido definir a lo largo de toda la Península tanto los límites inferiores del tecno-complejo solutrense, como los límites superiores del Gravetiense y la relación entre ambas fases. Además, hemos reflexionado sobre el estado actual de la investigación en este periodo desde perspectivas cronológicas, teniendo en cuenta los avances en el método radiocarbónico.
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports
The lithic assemblage studied here comes from the space known as the Á rea de Estancia in Tito Bu... more The lithic assemblage studied here comes from the space known as the Á rea de Estancia in Tito Bustillo Cave (Ribadesella, Asturias, Spain), a representative Magdalenian site. The remains were found in Sub-level 1c2 in the Lower Complex (1LC), which was excavated by J.A. Moure Romanillo from 1981 to 1983 and is associated with abundant evidence of osseous industry, fauna, portable art, etc. The present study is especially innovative because it introduces a holistic approach to the understanding of the management of lithic resources by huntergatherer groups in the late Pleistocene. It establishes the two main groups of raw materials in the assemblage (flint and quartzite) and the different types through a petrographic description, and the different procurement strategies that were employed. Some preliminary results about the functionality of these tools are also offered. The occupants of this cave during the Greenland Stadial 2 traced a diversified and complex dynamic of exploitation of lithic resources that combined both the most immediate, easily available and in greater volume (for example, quartzite and Piloña flint), and the most distant, of good knapping quality (Flysch flint, fundamentally). This circulation of raw materials is parallel to the patterns detected in other deposits in the region with a similar chronology. Significant differences are observed in the knapping schemes between raw materials based on the production of blanks for the manufacture of tools, whose typological classification and analysis of use-wear makes us propose a specialized and little diversified functionality, which is usually related to that of temporary occupations.
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2015
ArkeoGazte: Revista de arqueología - Arkelogia aldizkaria, 2019
The new excavations carried out at the site of Troisdorf-Ravensberg in 2015 have brought to light... more The new excavations carried out at the site of Troisdorf-Ravensberg in 2015 have brought to light an essential part of Neanderthal daily life: the procurement mechanism of lithic raw material. The first hypothesis to understand this site propounds that it was used as a quartzite workshop or a quarry site where extractive and first knapping activities were performed in the Middle Palaeolithic. Against this background this study focusses on the petrological characterisation of the quartzites from Troisdorf-Ravensberg using a solid geoarchaeological protocol based on petrographic-stereomicroscopic petrology and geochemical composition. These procedures allowed us to characterise the "Tertiary quartzites" at this site and to establish two types and two varieties of this raw material based on the features which led us to understand the stone formative processes. The latter is related with sedimentary processes and the formation of silcretes. Preliminary data puts forward a selective extraction and exploitation of a specific facies, the secondary exploitation of a by-product type, and the discard of the last variety. This complex raw material exploitation is suggested by the technological markers observed, which connect the physical properties of the stone, based on silica cementation of the former quartz arenite, and the procurement strategies carried out by the Middle Palaeolithic people. The qualitative differences in the raw material are an important aspect of the anthropogenic selection that can be identified in the Troisdorf assemblage. Other selection criteria, especially the morphology of the raw pieces or technological requirements, certainly play also a major role, but are not part of this contribution.
L Ánthropologie, 2023
Le silex est la principale matière première lithique utilisée dans la Préhistoire du continent eu... more Le silex est la principale matière première lithique utilisée dans la Préhistoire du continent européen et c’est une ressource fondamentale dans les circuits économiques et sociaux des groupes de chasseurs-cueilleurs pendant le Paléolithique supérieur de la région cantabrique (nord de l’Espagne). Sa préférence incontestable par rapport aux autres ressources repose sur une série de qualités telles qu’une disponibilité facile du fait de sa grande abondance, de la grande dispersion des affleurements, ainsi que les excellentes qualités pour sa taille. Dans cet article, nous présentons une synthèse des informations disponibles à partir des études sur le silex et d’autres matières premières utilisées par les groupes de chasseurs-cueilleurs. Cette révision a été abordée dans le cadre des occupations archéologiques de la région cantabrique datées du Paléolithique supérieur. D’une part, il s’agit des études relatives à la provenance des différents types de silex trouvés, leur représentation quantitative dans chacun des gisements révisées, préférence, si c’est le cas, par rapport aux autres matières premières documentées, ainsi que leur modèle de diffusion sur le territoire. D’autre part, d’autres ressources sont traitées, comme le quartzite, l’ocre et différentes roches métamorphiques, sédimentaires et ignées, ainsi que quelques matériaux d’origine biologique, comme l’ambre, le jais/lignite et les fossiles d’origine animale. Les informations disponibles concernant l’utilisation de ces matières premières dans le contexte du Paléolithique supérieur cantabrique sont assez rares et leurs études de caractérisation sont récentes.
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2022
The lithic assemblage studied here comes from the space known as the ´Area de Estancia in Tito Bu... more The lithic assemblage studied here comes from the space known as the ´Area de Estancia in Tito Bustillo Cave
(Ribadesella, Asturias, Spain), a representative Magdalenian site. The remains were found in Sub-level 1c2 in the
Lower Complex (1LC), which was excavated by J.A. Moure Romanillo from 1981 to 1983 and is associated with
abundant evidence of osseous industry, fauna, portable art, etc. The present study is especially innovative
because it introduces a holistic approach to the understanding of the management of lithic resources by huntergatherer
groups in the late Pleistocene. It establishes the two main groups of raw materials in the assemblage
(flint and quartzite) and the different types through a petrographic description, and the different procurement
strategies that were employed. Some preliminary results about the functionality of these tools are also offered.
The occupants of this cave during the Greenland Stadial 2 traced a diversified and complex dynamic of
exploitation of lithic resources that combined both the most immediate, easily available and in greater volume
(for example, quartzite and Pilo˜na flint), and the most distant, of good knapping quality (Flysch flint, fundamentally).
This circulation of raw materials is parallel to the patterns detected in other deposits in the region
with a similar chronology. Significant differences are observed in the knapping schemes between raw materials
based on the production of blanks for the manufacture of tools, whose typological classification and analysis of
use-wear makes us propose a specialized and little diversified functionality, which is usually related to that of
temporary occupations.
Journal of Lithic Studies
The increase, in quantitative and qualitative terms, of research attending to the geological natu... more The increase, in quantitative and qualitative terms, of research attending to the geological nature of rocks found in archaeological contexts is changing our perspectives about social and economic territories articulated by Palaeolithic societies in the Cantabrian Region. Practically the only raw material researched in a solid geoarchaeological approach in this area is flint. This paper addresses how the near absence of in-depth geoarchaeological research into raw materials other than flint is modifying our perception of the procurement and management mechanism of raw material in the Cantabrian Region during the Palaeolithic. To consider this matter in depth, we present the bibliographic and quantitative analysis of 30 representative archaeological sites from the Cantabrian Region whose assemblages were described lithologically using basic and primary categories. The state of play depicts a geographic distribution of raw material in the Cantabrian Region where quartzite is associate...
Journal of Lithic Studies
The consideration of quartzite as a secondary raw material has relegated in-depth research of thi... more The consideration of quartzite as a secondary raw material has relegated in-depth research of this raw material in favour of such other rocks as flint or obsidian. The latter two are the most researched raw materials because of the information derived from their study: long-distance transport of rocks and mobility of people. In contrast, information obtained from research into quartzite generally supported near-site procurement areas mainly related to secondary river deposits. Together with the wide range of rocks called quartzite by archaeologists, this has influenced the poverty of research on the second most-often used raw material during the Palaeolithic. To overcome this narrow perspective, it is necessary to put quartzite in the centre of the debate as a raw material, using an inductive proposal based on geoarchaeological methodologies. This issue is approached by the application of a geoarchaeological methodology that combines thin section analysis, stereomicroscope observati...
Journal of Lithic Studies, 2021
This paper is divided into three sections. The first section describes the historiographic evolut... more This paper is divided into three sections. The first section describes the historiographic evolution of the study of prehistoric lithic raw materials in the Basque Crossroads (in the north of the Iberian Peninsula) during the last three decades. The second section explains the currently available information about geological outcrops of flint in the eastern end of the Cantabrian Mountain range (the Basque-Cantabrian Basin), the upper Ebro valley and both sides of the western Pyrenees, in the central part of the northern Iberian Peninsula, as that was the main raw material used by hunter-gatherer groups in the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic. Finally, the last section describes the way in which progress in both aspects of research have enabled the introduction of new concepts and perspectives in the reconstruction of the social and economic dynamics of Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers. This has given rise to an innovative methodology that is able to address and solve important issues, par...
Geoarchaeology, 2021
Raw material characterization in Paleolithic archaeology has widened our knowledge of Middle Pale... more Raw material characterization in Paleolithic archaeology has widened our knowledge of Middle Paleolithic societies. Procurement of raw material, specifically flint, has allowed the tracing of the mobility of both stones and people, as well as selective processes to obtain specific types or even extraction activities. The analysis of quartzite has also developed in recent years, providing an opportunity to better understand prehistoric societies. This study characterizes the procurement strategies implemented by Middle Paleolithic people in the mountainous region of the Picos de Europa. To this end, we present a comprehensive characterization of potential catchment areas: massive outcrops, conglomerates, and river deposits. The exploitation of quartzite at the sites of El Habario and El Arteu allows us to understand the territorial management of this mountainous area through the combination of selective processes and mobility mechanisms in lower and middle altitudes. These perspectives enable us to view the mountainous region not as a barrier but as an environmental mosaic managed by Middle Paleolithic groups. This study shows strategies that bring together direct and embedded procurement based on both intensive and extensive searches. These discourses are more closely related to the daily life of people than those only considering the mobility of people and objects.
Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2020
Several isolated studies have tried to understand quartzite from an archaeological perspective by... more Several isolated studies have tried to understand quartzite from an archaeological perspective by applying two different methodological approaches. The first one is based on non-destructive characterisation, aiming to understand human procurement and management of quartzite, without solid geoarchaeological criteria. The second characterised the material from archaeological sites using only petrographic or geochemical perspectives of a limited sample. Currently, both perspectives are unconnected, creating a methodological gap that needs to be solved to study the procurement and management of quartzite in greater depth. The present study, mainly methodological, will explore the gap between petrographic analysis and non-destructive characterisation. Doing so, we could fill this vacuum of information and generate a solid geoarchaeological basis to characterise not only a sample but complete assemblages. To this end, we analyse the lithic assemblages at El Arteu and El Habario, two Middl...
Munibe Antropologia-Arkeologia, 2016
Los estudios referentes a la gestión de los recursos líticos-especialmente el sílex-por parte de ... more Los estudios referentes a la gestión de los recursos líticos-especialmente el sílex-por parte de los grupos prehistóricos en las dos vertientes del Pirineo occidental han aumentado de manera considerable en las últimas décadas. En este trabajo, pretendemos realizar una aproximación a la movilidad de los grupos superopaleolíticos, mediante los Sistemas de Información Geográfica (SIG). Estos nos permiten relacionar espacialmente los afloramientos de sílex y los restos líticos encontrados en los yacimientos arqueológicos. Para ello, hemos construido, a través de los Cost Distance Analysis, una serie de mapas que permiten detectar las dinámicas de expansión de cada uno de afloramientos, así como los patrones de aprovisionamiento de cada yacimiento. Adicionalmente, hemos relacionado los valores numéricos obtenidos del análisis espacial con la cantidad de sílex encontrado en cada nivel arqueológico a partir de estadística descriptiva y la aplicación de la lógica difusa. De esta forma hemos podido revisar los conceptos de autoctonía y aloctonía, así como plantear modelos generales de aprovisionamiento y distribución de sílex en la región. LABURPENA Mendebaldeko Pirinioen bi isurialdeetan historiaurreko taldeek baliabide litikoen-batez ere silexa-inguruan eginiko kudeaketari buruzko azterlanak asko ugaritu dira azken hamarkadetan. Lan honetan, hurbiltze bat egin nahi diogu talde superopaleolitikoen mugikortasunari, Informazio Geografikoko Sistemen (GIS) bidez. Hala, espazioa kontuan hartuta lotu ditzakegu aztarnategi arkeologikoetan aurkitutako silexaren eta hondakin litikoen azaleratzeak. Horretarako, Cost Distance Analysis direlakoen bidez, zenbait mapa eraiki ditugu eta horiei esker, azaleratze bakoitzaren hedatze-dinamikak detektatu ditugu. Aztarnategi bakoitzaren hornitze-ereduak ere eraiki ditugu. Horrez gain, azterketa espazialaren emaitza gisa eskuratu ditugun zenbakizko balioak maila arkeologiko bakoitzean aurkitutako silex kantitatearekin lotu ditugu deskribapenezko estatistikatik abiatuta eta logika lausoa aplikatuta. Hala, autoktonia eta aloktonia kontzeptuak berraztertu ahal izan ditugu eta aipatutako eremuko hornitze-eredu orokorrak eta silexaren banaketa planteatu ditugu.
Munibe Antropologia-Arkeologia, 2016
Tradicionalmente, viene considerándose que el paso de los grupos humanos por los Pirineos resulta... more Tradicionalmente, viene considerándose que el paso de los grupos humanos por los Pirineos resulta dificultoso durante el Paleolítico y existen, efectivamente, datos que contradicen este planteamiento. Incluso podemos valorar como verosímil la existencia de una región paleolítica pirenaica, con rasgos culturales específicos y una serie de yacimientos implicados, especialmente durante el Magdaleniense. La existencia de rutas de tránsito a través de los tramos centrales de los Pirineos no es incompatible, sin embargo, con una mayor preferencia por los pasos occidental y oriental entre la Península Ibérica y el resto del continente europeo. Partiendo de esta hipótesis, nos proponemos explorar la ruta occidental del poblamiento peninsular, la que cruza el País Vasco, a partir de diferentes tipos de registro: la propia dispersión de los yacimientos arqueológicos, la distribución de materias primas líticas, los tecnocomplejos y las similitudes o diferencias en los comportamientos culturales y económicos de los grupos humanos. Para ello, partimos de la reflexión teórica efectuada en el Coloquio de Tarascon (2004), para comprobar la validez de aquella propuesta, desde la perspectiva de doce años. LABURPENA Sarritan aipatu da Pirinioetako pasatzea zaila izan dela gizakientzako, Paleolitoan zehar, eta ba dira datuak hipotesi hau ezeztatzeko. Batzuk aipatu dute Pirinioetako eremu kultural bat, adierazle kultural oso espezifikoekin, bereziki Magdalen aldian. Pirinioak zeharkatzen dituzten zenbait pasabideen izatea, aldi berean, bateragarria da beste planteamenduarekin, hain zuzen ere, gizataldeek nahiago izaten dituztela Pirinioetako mendebaldeko eta ekialdeko ertzak Iberiar Penintsula eta kontinentearen arteko pasabideak bezala, erosoagoak direlako. Hipotesi hau abiapuntutzat hartuta, mendebaldeko pasabidea (Euskal Herria zeharkatzen duena) zenbait erregistro materialen arabera aztertuko dugu: aztarnategi arkeologikoen sakabanaketa, harrizko lehengaien hornidura eta gizataldeen portaera kultural eta ekonomikoen arteko aldeak eta desberdintasunak. Aspaldian, 2004ko Tarascon-sur-Ariègen izandako kongresuan egin genuen hausnarketa teoretikoa izan da gure oinarria, hamabi urte beranduago hipotesi horren baliokidetza aztertzeko.
Journal of Lithic Studies, 2016
Studies on lithic resource management –mainly flint– by prehistoric groups south of the western P... more Studies on lithic resource management –mainly flint– by prehistoric groups south of the western Pyrenees have significantly increased during the past decades. These studies usually focus on identifying outcrops and characterising the different varieties found at archaeological sites. However, the understanding of mobility and territorial management patterns based on raw materials is still very limited and has only been tackled in terms of lineal distance.This paper proposes a methodological approach for the territorial analysis of flint distribution with the three following aims: 1) to determine the expansion ranges of each variety of flint from its outcrop; 2) to spatially relate these outcrops with archaeological sites; and 3) to improve our knowledge on the catchment strategies of Upper Palaeolithic groups.The methodological tool chosen to fulfil these objectives is the Geographic Information System (GIS), because it allows to relate spatially the flint outcrops and flint varieti...
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Papers by Alejandro Prieto
(Ribadesella, Asturias, Spain), a representative Magdalenian site. The remains were found in Sub-level 1c2 in the
Lower Complex (1LC), which was excavated by J.A. Moure Romanillo from 1981 to 1983 and is associated with
abundant evidence of osseous industry, fauna, portable art, etc. The present study is especially innovative
because it introduces a holistic approach to the understanding of the management of lithic resources by huntergatherer
groups in the late Pleistocene. It establishes the two main groups of raw materials in the assemblage
(flint and quartzite) and the different types through a petrographic description, and the different procurement
strategies that were employed. Some preliminary results about the functionality of these tools are also offered.
The occupants of this cave during the Greenland Stadial 2 traced a diversified and complex dynamic of
exploitation of lithic resources that combined both the most immediate, easily available and in greater volume
(for example, quartzite and Pilo˜na flint), and the most distant, of good knapping quality (Flysch flint, fundamentally).
This circulation of raw materials is parallel to the patterns detected in other deposits in the region
with a similar chronology. Significant differences are observed in the knapping schemes between raw materials
based on the production of blanks for the manufacture of tools, whose typological classification and analysis of
use-wear makes us propose a specialized and little diversified functionality, which is usually related to that of
temporary occupations.
(Ribadesella, Asturias, Spain), a representative Magdalenian site. The remains were found in Sub-level 1c2 in the
Lower Complex (1LC), which was excavated by J.A. Moure Romanillo from 1981 to 1983 and is associated with
abundant evidence of osseous industry, fauna, portable art, etc. The present study is especially innovative
because it introduces a holistic approach to the understanding of the management of lithic resources by huntergatherer
groups in the late Pleistocene. It establishes the two main groups of raw materials in the assemblage
(flint and quartzite) and the different types through a petrographic description, and the different procurement
strategies that were employed. Some preliminary results about the functionality of these tools are also offered.
The occupants of this cave during the Greenland Stadial 2 traced a diversified and complex dynamic of
exploitation of lithic resources that combined both the most immediate, easily available and in greater volume
(for example, quartzite and Pilo˜na flint), and the most distant, of good knapping quality (Flysch flint, fundamentally).
This circulation of raw materials is parallel to the patterns detected in other deposits in the region
with a similar chronology. Significant differences are observed in the knapping schemes between raw materials
based on the production of blanks for the manufacture of tools, whose typological classification and analysis of
use-wear makes us propose a specialized and little diversified functionality, which is usually related to that of
temporary occupations.
series of seasons. Between 1956 and 1968, José Miguel
de Barandiarán, together with a number of collaborators,
excavated a large area of the deposit (some 100m2), and
since 1996 a new series of fieldwork has been carried
out under the direction of Alvaro Arrizabalaga, in a much
smaller area. Owing to the taphonomic circumstances
of this deposit, the difficulties in obtaining a consistent
geochronological framework for it, and the complex nature
of the lithic assemblage, great confusion has arisen
about the stratigraphic units that should be included in a
discussion about the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition
at Lezetxiki. Strictly speaking, the only level that can
be attributed to this period is Level III, which is sub-divided
into IIIa and IIIb, separated by an erosional contact.
Sublevel IIIa, with abundant industrial remains, is dated
in the Aurignacian, whereas Sublevel IIIB, in which hardly
any lithic industry or remains of fauna associated with
human activity were found, corresponds to a very late
phase of the Mousterian. As a result of the circumstances
in the initial series of excavations, mixing of some materials
between the two sublevels may have taken place,
although their original differentiation was made by José
Miguel de Barandiarán, and these possible cases should
be regarded as few in number.
human groups across the Pyrenees would have been
difficult in the Palaeolithic, although there are data
contradicting this view. It may even be proposed that
a Pyrenean region existed in the Palaeolithic with specific
cultural traits and a series of sites, especially in the
Magdalenian. The existence of routes across the central
parts of the Pyrenees is not incompatible, however, with
a preference for the western and eastern routes between
the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of Europe. With this
hypothesis, we propose to explore the western route
for the movement of populations, the one that crosses
the Basque Country, through different kinds of record:
the location of the archaeological sites themselves, the
distribution of lithic raw materials, the technocomplexes,
and the similarities and differences in the cultural and
subsistence behaviour of the human groups.
The both qualitative and quantitative increase of studies on raw materials in the Cantabrian Region is changing the view on the management of the territory by prehistoric societies. Most of the studies about the lithological varieties in the archaeological and geological record focus on flint, a sedimentary rock of clastic origin. This is due to two reasons: On one hand, the preferential use of this stone by Palaeolithic societies and, on the other, the existence of a corpus of geoarchaeological studies on which allow to characterize this material. This situation has generated a biased picture about the management of raw materials by prehistoric groups, because quartzite, a metamorphic rock containing almost exclusively quartz, is the second type of stone more used in the Cantabrian Palaeolithic. This study is a reflection on the need of deeper knowledge about quartzite, as this will modify the current paradigm on territorial management by Palaeolithic societies.
Materials and methods
The basis of this work is a selection of the most representative sites of the Palaeolithic along different areas and chronologies whose lithic tools have been studied at raw material level. The information about the main raw materials (flint and quartzite) has been broken down for each archaeological level and it has been chronologically and geographically contextualised. Finally, we reflect about the relationship between both raw materials and their geographical and chronological context through dual and dialectic understanding and dialectic reasoning.
Results
The results of this work show general trends in the use of each type of raw material. In addition, they are a reflection about the chronological and geographical relationship between quartzite and flint based on the concepts coming from the catchment of these lithic resources. The most innovative results are the geographical relationship of quartzite with the Western Cantabrian Region and that of flint with the Eastern area, the chronological analogy of quartzite with the earlier phases of Palaeolithic and flint with the more recent ones, and the association of the concepts of recurrent and occasional mobility with each type of lithic raw material.
Conclusion
This work offers a wide perspective on lithic resource exploitation by the societies who populated the Cantabrian Region during the Palaeolithic and demonstrate an unequal state of the art for each raw material. As a solution, we propose to intensify the methodological studies to characterize quartzite and its different types.
The geo-archaeological analysis performance here only includes the characterisation and identification of a sample of the complete assemblage. This research constitutes a descriptive analysis of eleven artefacts of quartzite sampled from the complete collection. These items of rocks were prepared for thin section analysis and X-Ray Fluorescence to understand the different types of quartzites potentially exploited at the site. These protocols have help us to understand their textures, grain size and morphological distribution, mineral characterisation and geo-chemical composition. Additionally, these artefacts and another 49 items were described under binocular microscopy to guide the procedures of following research.
We have described two different types of quartzite, according to the methodology recently proposed by our team (Prieto, 2018, Prieto, et al., 2019). These types are Clastic and Cemented quartz-arenite (CC) and Syntaxially Overgrown Orthoquartzite (OO). Moreover, two clear varieties or facies were distinguish based on the composition of the cement and matrix, the CC type with clayey matrix (CC_CM) and the CC type with microcrystalline quartz (CC_MQC).
The analysis performed in the site of Ravensberg concludes that the properties of the CC_MQC variety make it optimal for knapping and use. Then, its massive exploitation could be the main reason for human activity in this site. We propose that use and acquisition of the OO type would be secondary and derived from the main product, the CC_MQC type. The CC_CM variety could not be used for knapping due to its friable properties. Then, its usefulness is reduced and it was probably considered a waste product.
This research constitutes the first step to understand catchment, management, and distribution of quartzite in the Rin Valley but also the foundation stone for the post-doctoral research of the first author.
The main aim of this presentation is present partial results of my recently defended PhD, focussed in the understanding of acquisition, distribution and management mechanisms implemented by Middle-Palaeolithic societies in the Cantabrian Region (Asturias and Cantabria communities, NW Spain) to exploit quartzite. To do so, we are going to present the data of two middle-Palaeolithic archaeological sites: El Habario and El Arteu. We also present through a comprehensive way, the quartzite distribution in the area: The Deva, Cares and Güeña valleys. Finally, and due to the scarcity of previous research on the properties of this raw material, we also present the characteristics of these quartzites from a geo-archaeological point of view.
The methodology used for this research combines three different approaches: microscopic, macroscopic and regional scales. The first one is based on petrographic, geochemical and binocular characterisation. The second, is the macroscopic approach and it is founded on the analysis of lithic assemblages based on technological, typological, petrological and metric criteria. The same macroscopic approach is used to characterise the potential raw material acquisition areas through the geological survey of the geological strata and deposits where quartzites are present. Finally, the regional scale is based on the geographic, geologic and archaeological analysis of landscape, mainly using Geographic Information Systems.
The application of this comprehensive methodology to a narrow area, the Deva, Cares and Güeña valleys, allow us to understand quartzite from geological and archaeological perspectives.
On one hand, we surveyed the source area of the sediment which formed the “archaeological quartzites”, their transformations due to sedimentary and metamorphic forces, and the mineralogy of these rocks according to the different geological environments where quartzites were formed. The understanding of all these phenomena allows us to classify quartzite into seven petrogenetic types and varieties, according to grain size and mineralogy. We also describe the geological strata where quartzite is present, characterising both their arrangement and its dispersion based on the types and varieties defined.
On the other hand, we inferred the acquisition, management, and mobility patterns of Prehistoric societies in the Deva, Cares and Güeña valleys during the Middle Palaeolithic based on the analysis of the lithic assemblages from the archaeological sites of El Habario and El Arteu. This allowed us to understand the different strategies of landscape management of such a heterogeneous and mountainous area as the central Cantabrian Region is.
The exploitation of quartzites in the sites of El Habario and El Arteu allow us to understand the dialectical territorial management of this mountainous area through the combination of selective processes and mobility mechanisms in lower and middle altitudes. These perspectives let us to understand this mountainous region not as a barrier but as an environmental-mosaic managed and optimised by Middle Palaeolithic societies. In addition, the recognition of the quartzite types using non-destructive methods in both complete assemblages through comprehensive analysis, lets us to understand preferential catchment and management of specific quartzites and different behaviours. Among others, a) adaptable mobility patterns and selection of specific types of quartzites; b) Complex management of lithic mass based on stock creation; or c) tool-kit maintenance on certain quartzite types and the dismissal of others.
long-transport of rocks and mobility of people. In contrast, the information derived from researches that took into account quartzite generally proposed near to the site catchment areas mainly related to secondary river deposits. This idea, together with the variability of
rocks named as quartzite by archaeologist, influences the absence of research on the second most-often used raw material during the Palaeolithic. To overcome these narrow perspectives, it is necessary to put in the centre of the debate the quartzite as raw material using an inducive proposal based on geoarchaeological methodologies.
This presentation tries to tackle this question by the application of a geoarchaeological methodology that combines thin section analysis, stereomicroscope observation, and XRay Fluorescence compositional analysis of the quartzites from the layer-XXII-R from El Esquilleu. In this work, we also present the characterisation of potential areas where
quartzite could be caught, especially river beaches. The results show complex mechanisms of quartzite catchment on river deposits based on intensive and selective searching, not only in near river deposits, but also in more distance fluvial deposits and conglomerate formations. Finally, and through the combination with techno-typological criteria, we
proposed complex mechanisms of exploitation depending on each quartzite type. All these data open new perspectives to the characterisation of the second better represented raw material in Europe, but also to deep into catchment mechanism on fluvial deposits and quartzitic conglomerate formations.