Juan Francisco Gibaja

La función de los instrumentos líticos en el asentamiento de Vale Boi (Algarve, Portugal): estudio del utillaje gravetiense y solutrense

En este trabajo presentamos los primeros resultados del analisis traceologico efectuado en el asentamiento de Vale Boi (Algane, Portugal). Los proyectos arqueologicos llevados a cabo desde la Universidade do Algarve estan aportando informacion de inestimable valor sobre la ocupacion humana durante el Paleolitico superior en el sur de Portugal. Entre los yacimientos descubiertos, Vale Boi constituye el yacimiento mas importante documentado hasta el momento, no solo por su amplia secuencia cronologica, sino tambien por su excepcional registro arqueologico.

Prácticas funerarias durante el neolítico. Los enterramientos infantiles en el noreste de la Península Ibérica

The Neolithic funeral record from Catalonia is particularly rich. At the beginning of the 20th century, P. Bosch Gimpera categorized the Catalonian Middle Neolithic as the “Sepulcros de Fosa” (pit burials) Culture, and this appellation is still in use. Within the framework of this monographic volume, this paper focus on the infantile burials, not only on its anthropological aspects, but also on other relevant information such as the grave goods associated to the reviewed burials, or the chronology of the funeral contexts established from the absolute dates available.

Early Gravettian Projectile Technology in Southwestern Iberian Peninsula: The Double Backed and Bipointed Bladelets of Vale Boi (Portugal)

Unlike other Gravettian contexts in Southern Iberian Peninsula, the Early Gravettian lithic assemblage from the archaeological site of Vale Boi (SW Portugal) is characterized by the absence of typical backed points, such as Gravettian and Microgravette points. Instead, backed technology is present in the unusual form of bipointed double backed bladelets. The presence of these backed tools in other Gravettian contexts is very rare, and their strong presence in the lithic assemblages from Vale Boi has no parallel in Southern Iberia, representing a novelty for the Gravettian record in the region. Given their morphology, this type of backed tool has been associated, in other industries, with perforation activities. In this paper, however, we present the results on technological, macro and micro-wear analyses showing the presence of fatigue traces (diagnostic impact fractures and hafting traces) commonly associated to projectile tips. These data represent a novelty in lithic projectile technology from Southwestern Iberia, and may reflect improving hunting techniques related to diet diversification and intensification and/or stylistic variation among Gravettian population.

Neolithic transition and lithic technology: The Epipalaeolithic and Early Neolithic assemblages of Ifri Oudadane, NE-Morocco

Ifri Oudadane represents one of the few recently excavated sites in NW-Africa which permits a study of the Neolithic transition. The site is dated by 23 radiocarbon ages suggesting an occupation between 11.0 and 5.7 ka calBP. The well-documented Neolithic transition occurred at about 7.6 ka calBP. This transition is marked by the appearance of pottery, cereals and legumes. Furthermore, geochemistry and micromorphology indicate several changes in the sedimentation milieu. One of the most interesting aspects of Neolithisation is the question of the continuity or discontinuity of this process. Does the transition to food production appear as part of a migration process or did local forager groups promote this develop-ment? Lithic material offers, as it appears through all periods, the best opportunity to study these developments. This paper presents an unchanging lithic industry across the Neolithisation regarding blank production, raw material supply, as well as tool composition. These results indicate an active role of local hunter-gatherers, and has therefore significant impact on the understanding of the Neolithisation process within the Western Mediterranean as a whole. Zusammenfassung Die im östlichen Rif in Marokko gelegene Fundstelle Ifri Oudadane ist eine der wenigen in letzter Zeit ausgegrabenen Fundstellen in Nordwest-Afrika, die es erlauben den Übergang vom Epipaläolithikum zum Neolithikum zu untersuchen. Die 23 14C-Daten belegen eine Nutzung des Abris im Zeitraum von 11,0 bis 5,7 ka calBP. Der sehr gut dokumentierte Übergang zum Neolithikum konnte in den Zeitraum um 7,6 ka calBP datiert werden und ist gekennzeichnet durch das Aufkommen von Keramik, Getreide und Hülsenfrüchten. Ferner belegen geochemische und mikromorphologische Untersuchungen einige Änderungen in der Sedimentation. Eine der interessantesten Aspekte der Neolithisierung ist die Frage nach Kontinuität oder Diskontinuität und damit ob der Übergang zur produzierenden Wirtschaftsweise in der Hauptsache durch Migration oder Akkulturation voran getrieben wurde. Die lithischen Artefakte bieten hierbei die einzigartige Möglichkeit kontinuierliche Entwicklungen am Übergang vom Epipaläolithikum zum Neolithikum zu entdecken, da sie in beiden Perioden auftreten. Die vorliegende Untersuchung belegt, dass sich die Steingeräteherstellung in Hinblick auf Grundformproduktion, Rohmaterialversorgung und den genutzten Werkzeugen während der Neolithisierung nicht veränderte. Dies deutet auf eine aktive Rolle der lokalen Jäger-Sammler-Gesellschaften in diesem Prozess hin und ist daher von außerordentlicher Bedeutung für das Verständnis der Neolithisierung im westlichen Mittelmeer.

Lapa do Picareiro, un asentamiento de caza magdaleniense en la Estremadura portuguesa

Lapa do Picareiro is a cave site located in Serra d’Aire, Portuguese Estremadura. Zooarchaeological studies suggest that the cave was a specialized site for hunting and processing animals during the Magdalenian and the Epipaleolithic. Lithic analyses seem to confirm this idea with the presence of backed bladelets used as projectile points and flakes with evidence of cutting meat and hide processing.