Overview

The prehistoric communities in Iberia have never been investigated before using a cutting-edge and multidisciplinary approach. In this research, the latest techniques are applied in order to allow a reconstruction of prehistoric social structure and social organization. Specifically, this investigation uses bioarchaeological methods, such as osteological, paleopathological and biochemical approaches (stable isotopes), in combination with funerary context to reconstruct the mortality, morbidity, dietary and mobility patterns of two human skeletal populations from the Copper Age (c. 3300-2100 cal BC). The main objective was to test whether social differences were already present during the 3rd millennium BC in southern Iberia. For this purpose, two main Copper Age sites, Valencina de la Concepcion (Seville) and La Pijotilla (Badajoz), were analysed and then compared to many other contemporary sites from the same geographical location. In sum, the results of this research demonstrate the complexity of the funerary patterns in the Iberian Copper Age, providing evidence for social inequality and differentiation.

Full Product Details

Author:   Marta Díaz-Zorita Bonilla
Publisher:   BAR Publishing
Imprint:   BAR Publishing
Dimensions:   Width: 21.00cm , Height: 1.50cm , Length: 29.70cm
Weight:   1.145kg
ISBN:  

9781407315096

ISBN 10:   1407315099
Pages:   287
Publication Date:   28 February 2017
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Available To Order  
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Table of Contents

"LIST OF FIGURES LIST OF TABLES PREFACE ABSTRACT CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1. Background 1.2. Aims and objective 1.3. Hypothesis to be tested and questions to be answered 1.4. Significance of research 1.5. Structure of the book CHAPTER 2. BIOARCHAEOLOGY 2.1. Introduction 2.2. The concept of bioarchaeology 2.3. Mortuary analysis and the implications for bioarchaeology: brief summary of the theoretical background 2.4. The history and global development of bioarchaeology 2.5. Bioarchaeology in Spain 2.5.1. Introduction 2.5.2. Its beginnings and relevant institutions 2.5.3. Education in bioarchaeology in Spain 2.5.4. Training and research in bioarchaeology in Spain 2.5.5. Documented and archaeological skeletal collections in Spain 2.5.6. New directions for bioarchaeology in Spain CHAPTER 3. THE 3rd MILLENNIUM BC IN SOUTH-WEST SPAIN 3.1. The context: the 3rd millennium BC in south-west Spain (Copper Age period) 3.1.1. Introduction 3.1.2. Investigations in the south of Spain 3.2. History of study 3.2.1. Spain 3.3. Funerary patterns in south-west Spain 3.3.1. Megalithic structures 3.3.2. Non-megalithic structures 3.3.3. Mortuary practices 3.4. General aspects of funerary practices during the 3rd millennium BC in south-west Spain 3.4.1. Sites with human remains (MNI) 3.4.2. Taphonomic factors and skeletal remains in south-west Spain 3.4.2.i. Extrinsic factors 3.4.2.i.1. Environmental and natural factors 3.4.2.i.2. Human induced factors 3.5. The sites 3.5.1. La Pijotilla 3.5.2. Valencina-Castilleja 3.5.3. La Orden-El Seminario CHAPTER 4. METHODS 4.1. Methods: the analysis of the human remains 4.2. Identification, classification and recording 4.3. Preservation, conservation and taphonomy 4.4. Sex estimation 4.5. Age estimation 4.5.1. Adult age estimation 4.5.2. Subadult age estimation 4.6. Normal variation: metrical data 4.6.1. Introduction to metrical data 4.6.2. Adult measurements 4.6.3. Indices 4.6.4. Subadult measurements 4.6.5. Dental measurements 4.7. Stature estimation 4.8. Normal variation: non-metric traits 4.8.1. Introduction to non-metrical data 4.8.1.i. Cranial non-metric traits 4.8.1.ii. Dental non-metric traits 4.8.1.iii. Postcranial non-metric traits 4.9. Abnormal variation 4.9.1. Enthesophytes 4.9.2. Paleopathology 4.9.2.i. Preliminary evaluation 4.9.2.ii. Categories of disease 4.9.2.ii.a. Infectious disease 4.9.2.ii.b. Trauma 4.9.2.ii.c. Joint disease 4.9.2.ii.d. Metabolic disease 4.9.2.ii.e. Dental disease 4.10. Isotope analysis 4.10.1. Sampling strategy 4.10.2. Introduction to paleodiet 4.10.2.i. Carbon isotope analysis 4.10.2.ii. Nitrogen isotope analysis 4.10.2.iii. Analysis of prehistoric diet in the Iberian Peninsula 4.10.2.iv. Laboratory sample procedure 4.10.3. Introduction to mobility and change of residence in the past 4.10.3.i. Strontium isotope analysis 4.10.3.ii. How to interpret the values and to define the local range 4.10.3.iii. Strontium isotopes studies in the Iberian Peninsula 4.10.3.iv. Laboratory sample procedures 4.10.3.iv.a. Arizona State University 4.10.3.iv.b. The University of Iowa and University of Illinois 4.11. Radiocarbon analysis (AMS) 4.12. Statistical analysis CHAPTER 5. RESULTS 5.1. Number of bones and teeth/fragments 5.2. The MNI (minimum number of individuals) 5.2.1. La Pijotilla 5.2.2. Valencina-Castilleja 5.3. Distribution of age and sex 5.3.1. La Pijotilla 5.3.1.i. Age distribution 5.3.1.ii. Sex distribution 5.3.2. Valencina-Castilleja 5.3.2.i. Age distribution 5.3.2.ii. Sex distribution 5.4. Normal variation 5.4.1. Metrical analyses 5.4.1.i. Calculation of stature 5.4.1.i.a. La Pijotilla 5.4.1.i.b. Valencina-Castilleja 5.4.2. Intraobserver error 5.5. Normal variation: non-metric analyses 5.5.1. La Pijotilla 5.5.1.i. Cranial and postcranial non-metric traits 5.5.1.ii. Non-metric dental traits 5.5.2. Valencina-Castilleja 5.5.2.i. Cranial and postcranial non-metric traits 5.5.2.ii. Non-metric dental traits 5.6. Abnormal variation 5.6.1. Enthesophytes 5.6.1.i. La Pijotilla 5.6.1.ii Valencina-Castilleja 5.6.2. Other examples of normal variation 5.6.3. Abnormal variation: paleopathology 5.6.3.i. Joint disease 5.6.3.i.a. La Pijotilla 5.6.3.i.b. Valencina-Castilleja 5.6.3.ii. Metabolic disease 5.6.3.ii.a. La Pijotilla 5.6.3.ii.b. Valencina-Castilleja 5.6.3.iii. Trauma 5.6.3.iii.a La Pijotilla 5.6.3.iv. Dental pathology 5.6.3.iv.a. La Pijotilla 5.6.3.iv.b. Miscellaneous 5.6.3.iv.c. Valencina-Castilleja 5.6.3.v. Miscellaneous 5.6.3.v.a. La Pijotilla 5.7. The exceptional burial of individual 10,049/667.1 (PP4-Montelirio, Valencina-Castilleja) 5.8. Diet: carbon (?13C) and nitrogen (?15N) stable isotope analyses 5.8.1. La Pijotilla 5.8.2. Valencina-Castilleja 5.8.3. La Orden-El Seminario 5.9. Mobility: strontium (87Sr/86Sr) 5.9.1. La Pijotilla 5.9.2. Valencina-Castilleja 5.10. Radiocarbon dating CHAPTER 6. DISCUSSION 6.1. Understanding the Copper Age period in south-west Spain from a multidisciplinary overview 6.1.1. Comparative analysis 6.1.1.i. Age and sex distribution 6.1.2. Normal variation 6.1.2.i. Metrical analyses 6.1.2.i.a. Stature 6.1.2.ii. Non-metric analyses 6.1.3. Abnormal variation 6.1.3.i. Enthesophytes 6.1.3.ii. Paleopathology 6.1.3.ii.a. Joint disease 6.1.3.ii.b. Metabolic disease 6.1.3.ii.c. Trauma 6.1.3.ii.d. Dental pathology 6.1.3.ii.d.1. Calculus 6.1.3.ii.d.2. Linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) 6.1.3.ii.d.3. Caries 6.1.3.ii.d.4. Dental wear 6.1.3.ii.d.5. Antemortem tooth loss (AMTL) 6.1.3.ii.d.6. Miscellaneous 6.1.4. Summary of the osteological data 6.2. Funerary practices in south-west Copper Age Spain and the implications for social differentiation 6.2.1. Type of funerary structures 6.2.2. Burial positions 6.2.3. Health status 6.3. Diet as an indicator of social inequality in Copper Age communities 6.3.1. Valencina-Castilleja (coastal) 6.3.1.i. Valencina-Castilleja and Montelirio (both coastal) 6.4. Exchange of goods, trade and mobility in the south-west Spanish Copper Age 6.4.1. Comparisons of Valencina-Castilleja and La Pijotilla 6.4.2. Paleodiet vs. locality 6.4.3. Non-local demographic distribution 6.4.4. Non-local individuals and sex 6.4.5. Non-local individuals and age 6.4.6. Non-local and local individuals and funerary structure 6.4.6.i. Valencina-Castilleja 6.4.6.i.a. Intra-site analysis at Valencina-Castilleja 6.4.6.i.b. Non-local individuals and sex 6.4.7. The European context: inter-area comparison 6.5. Summary CHAPTER 7. CONCLUSIONS 7.1. Summary of the study 7.1.1. Summary of results 7.1.1.i. Age, sex and stature 7.1.1.ii. Health 7.1.1.iii. Diet 7.1.1.iv. Mobility 7.1.1.v. Settlement and funerary context 7.1.2. Addressing the aims, objectives, hypothesis and questions 7.1.3. Limitations 7.1.4. Future work REFERENCES APPENDICES APPENDIX 1. METRICAL DATA A.1.1. Skull and long bone measurements A.1.2. Dental measurements A.1.3. Results of indices from long bones from La Pijotilla APPENDIX 2. DATA FROM SOUTH-WEST SPANISH COPPER AGE SITES USED FOR COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS A.2.1. Osteological data from south-west Spanish Copper Age sites used for comparative analysis A.2.2. Osteological data from south-west Spanish Copper Age sites used for comparative analysis: paleopathology APPENDIX 3. ABNORMAL VARIATION A.3.1. Abnormal variation: paleopathology: joint disease A.3.2. Abnormal variation: dental paleopathology A.3.3. Abnormal variation: miscellaneous APPENDIX 4. MULTIPLE OBSERVATIONS A.4.1. Multiple observations5pt;line-height:110%;font-family: ""Verdana"",sans-serif;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana'>"

Reviews

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-no-proof: yes'>'Diaz-Zorita Bonilla is clearly an effective advocate for Spanish bioarchaeology, and in a most useful preface to her own research she reviews the study of funerary sites and human remains in Spain across time and space. As much of this scholarship is published regionally and in Spanish, the availability of this information should encourage international scholars to access this important and largely underappreciated literature.In her closing discussion, Diaz-Zorita Bonilla outlines a blueprint for further bioarchaeological studies. I look forward to these and others that will further illuminate the multi-faceted, important past of those whose lives are documented in the Iberian Peninsula's archaeological record.' <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;color:black; mso-no-proof:yes'>From the preface by Jane E. Buikstra, Regents Professor, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University<span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family: Verdana ,sans-serif;mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB'>

Author Information

Marta Diaz-Zorita Bonilla (PhD, MA, BA) is a bioarchaeologist specialised in the study on prehistoric human remains from the 4th-2nd millennia BC from the Iberian Peninsula. Specifically, her research aims to reconstruct social structure and mobility patterns and connections with central Europe, North Africa and the Mediterranean.

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