The Management of Lithic Resources During the V
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Preistoria Alpina, 47 (2013): 57-67 ISSN 0393-015757 © Museo delle Scienze, Trento 2013 Atti Seminario 2012: “Analisi Tecno-Funzionale dei manufatti litici preistorici: teoria, metodologia, tecniche sperimentali” The management of lithic resources during the V millennium cal BC at Espluga de la Puyascada (La Fueva, Huesca) Niccolò MAZZUCCO1*, Ignacio CLEMENTE-CONTE1, Vicente BALDELLOU2 & Ermengol GASSIOT BALLBÈ3 1 Departamento de Arqueología y Antropología, Institución Milà y Fontanals (IMF-CSIC) C/ Egipcíaques 15, 08001 Barce- lona, Spain. 2 Museo Provincial de Huesca, Plaza de la Universidad 1, 22002 Huesca, Spain 3 Departamento de Prehistoria (UAB), Ediicio B, Facultad de Letras 08193 Bellaterra, Spain * Corresponding author e-mail: [email protected] SUMMARY - The management of lithic resources during the V millennium cal BC at Espluga de la Puyascada (La Fueva, Huesca) - Al- though the archaeological site of Espluga de la Puyascada was only excavated during one campaign (1975), this cave might be considered one of the most signiicant sites in the pre-Pyrenean mountains of Huesca. The materials found in the survey excavation provide several information about the economy of the pastoral and agricultural groups living in the area during the V millennium calBC. The results of the analysis of the lithic assemblage, and its petrological, technological and functional characterisation, are presented in this paper. The data obtained indicates that the lithic implements were mainly constituted of blade blanks, which production was based on the procurement of raw materials in a regional context over a distance of about 80-90 kilometres. The lithic tools were used in productive processes associated with both the acquisition of food and the manufacture of other implements and goods. RIASSUNTO - La gestione delle risorse litiche durante il V millennio cal BC alla Espluga de la Puyascada (La Fueva, Huesca) - Sebbene scavata nel corso di solo una campagna (1975), la grotta di Espluga de la Puyasca da è considerata uno dei più signiicativi siti preistorici della regione pirenaica di Huesca (Spagna). Le evidenze archeologiche forniscono numerose informazioni sulla economia dei gruppi agro- pastorali che vissero nella regione durante il V millennio cal. BC. In questo l avoro vengono presentati i risultati degli studi petrograici, tecnologici e funzionali dei manufatti litici. I dati ottenuti indicano che i manufatti litici erano ottenuti attraverso la produzione di lame ricavate da materie prime presenti nella regione ino a circa 80-90 km di distanza. Gli strumenti erano utilizzati in processi produttivi inalizzati sia all’acquisizione di cibo che alla manifattura di altri strumenti ebeni. Key words: Mountain occupation, Neolithic, Functional analysis, means of production. Parole chiave: Occupazione della montagna, Neolitico, Analisi funzionale, mezzi di produzione 1. INTRODUCTION cally, Western Pyrenees were characterized by a continuous process of humanization which started from the early and Studies of the human occupation of high mountain- middle Neolithic period (VI millennium cal BC) and rap- ous areas in the Western Pyrenees have increased signii- idly increased during late Neolithic and Chalcolithic period cantly over the last ten years, with the development of sev- (late IV millennium and irst half of the III millennium cal eral research projects on both sides of the mountain chain BC) (Galop 2006; Gassiot et al. 2010; Ejarque et al. 2010). (Rendu 2003; Galop 2006; Palet et al. 2006-2007; Miras et This scenario fundamentally seem to conirm the data al. 2007; Pèlachs et al. 2007; Bal et al. 2010; Gassiot et al. available for the lower and medium altitudes. In fact, even if 2010; Ejarque et al. 2010). high mountain zones have been for long ignored by the ar- The data obtained from pollen columns and inten- chaeological research, during the last forthy years in the pre- sive archaeological surveying have succeeded in creating a Pyrenees have been carried out a number of research projects new image of the human occupation of these high altitude that lead to the discovery of a signiicant number of archeo - areas, which have traditionally been considered as archaeo- logical sites with similar chronologies (VI - III millennium logically “empty zones”; poorly exploited by prehistoric cal BC) (Baldellou 1987; Baldellou & Castán 1985; Utrilla populations and characterized by a low level of human & Mazo 1992; Baldellou & Utrilla 1995; Petit 1996; Utrilla settlements in comparison with lowland areas and/or the & Mazo 2007, Oms et al. 2008; Oms et al., 2009). This data valley loors (Jiménez 2007). On the contrary, those recent suggest that starting from the middle Holocene both lower studies suggests that mountains areas have been heavily and higher mountain areas have been characterized by an im- inluenced by the human populations and their economic portant process of humanization, probably due to the spread activities starting from the middle Holocene. More specii- of agricultural and pastoral activities. 58 Mazzucco et al. The management of lithic resources In this paper, we will focus our attention on one of E.S - Supericial level formed mainly by the remains these sites located in a mountain environment: the Espluga of modern practices of penning sheep and goats. This level of Puyascada. This site has been only partially investigated was documented in all the four surveys. Disturbed archaeo- during the 70s, revealing the existence of a number of lev- logical material was occasionally present. Between 13 and els of occupation dated to the Middle Neolithic. However, 30cm thick. for logistical reasons the excavations were interrupted, thus leading to the interruption of the study of the materials, E.1 - Silty grey-brown layer, characterised by abun- which were only preliminarily published (Baldellou 1987). dant ash and charcoal. It was located only in the central sec- Our objective is to present a renewed analysis of the lithic tor of the chamber, in survey C3. The stratum was sloping, assemblage retrieved during the excavations, covering as- and it was sub-divided into two sub-strata on the basis of pects as raw material procurement, technological and use- the different quantity of organic remains present. It was be- wear analysis, in order to determine how these resources tween 50 and 110cm thick. The few archaeological remains were managed during the Neolithic period. In this way, we were associated with a bell-beaker occupation. hope to appraise and integrate the data from the old exca- vation, contributing to the understanding of the economic E.2 - Silty dark brown layer characterised by the orientation of the site. presence of abundant ash and charcoal. In some areas stains of ire-altered red earth were found. The presence of a large amount of clasts and stones of different sizes was probably 2. ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONTEXT due to an ancient collapse of the overhanging cave entrance. This level was found in survey C1, C3 and C4. In some The Espluga de la Puyascada is located in the north- sectors it was sub-divided into different strata depending east of the Iberian Peninsula, in the region of Aragon and on the distribution of the stone clasts of varying sizes. Its the province of Huesca. It is situated in the municipality of maximum thickness was between 60 and 110cm. This layer La Fueva, a few kilometres from the town of San Juan de contained a large amount of archaeological remains be- Toledo, in the Sobrarbe district (Fig. 1, a). longing to a Neolithic phase with impressed pottery. These The cave is formed in a limestone massif called Si- remains included a rich bone assemblage (mainly punches, erra Ferrera which runs in a NW-E direction from the Cinca but also a spoon and a spatula) and objects of adornment Valley to the Esera Valley. This is part of the Interior Moun- such as beads and rings (Fig. 2. a-g). tains which run parallel to the Pyrenees chain and which reach considerable altitudes of over 2000m in the central The chronology of the human occupation of the and western sections. The cave entrance is at 1300m above cave was determined on the basis of three radiocarbon sea level in the middle of a limestone ridge, in an area char- dates. First sample, a charcoal, was taken from Level E.1, acterised by steep slopes and abrupt relief. The dimensions in the survey C3, while the other two charcoals came from of the cave entrance are large: it consists of a single cham- Level E.3, surveys C1 and C3. The results were already ber 15m wide, with a small inal passage about 5m long published (Baldellou 1987). Here, we present dates recali- (Baldellou 1987). brated with OxCal 4.1 software (Bronk Ramsey 2009), us- In 1975, under the supervision of Dr Vicente Baldel- ing the IntCal09 calibration curve (Reimer et al. 2009). lou, from Huesca Provincial Museum, four surveys were ex- The results show that the cave was occupied during cavated in the cave entrance and in the chamber. The total the ifth and fourth millennium cal BC. All the dates have surface area was 16m2. The sediment was excavated in arti- been calibrated to two sigma, and their standard deviation icial spits each one between 5 and 10 cm thick, which were was relatively small (Table 1). later uniied in sedimentary macro-units. Although the strati- The chronological sequence is indicative of at least graphic sequence was not uniform in the different surveys, two different occupation phases in the cave. The oldest three levels were distinguished (Fig. 1, b-c). date, from survey C1 indicates that the cave was occupied Ref. Lab. Layer Sample BP ± Cal BC 1σ % Cal BC 2σ % μ m 3490-3471 4.5 3620-3611 0.4 CSIC-383 E.1 (C3) Charcoal 4560 80 3373-3265 27.1 3266 141 3521-3021 95.0 3241-3104 36.6 4581-4572 0.4 4483-4480 CSIC-382 E.2 (C3) Charcoal 5580 70 1.0 67.2 4556-4323 93.5 4426 66 4463-4349 4289-4267 1.4 4893-4889 1.6 4982-4970 1.0 CSIC-384 E.2 (C1) Charcoal 5930 60 4884-4869 5.3 4814 75 4965-4688 94.7 4850-4724 61.3 Tab.