Around 800 BC changes are appearing everywhere on the European Continent. On
the Balearic Islands... more Around 800 BC changes are appearing everywhere on the European Continent. On the Balearic Islands, radical cultural changes are noticed in the funerary practices, the settlement organisation and the religious architecture. During the Bronze Age, a gradual change in burial practices took place on both islands such as the evolution from dolmens to burial navetas, but around 800 BC more abrupt changes are ascertained. The Menorcan burial navetas, as well as the inhumation in cliff caves, associated with a particular treatment involving the cutting and dying of the hair disappear. Two other funerary rituals appear quite suddenly. These are the secondary cave burials, characterised by a sober disposing of the human remains. At the same time, the cremation ritual starts, which evolves into the indigenous lime burials caves. In the Late Bronze Age, the most common dwelling is the so-called naviform building, a boat shaped structure. This type of building changed in a very short time into the so-called talayotic settlements, which are characterised by the presence of tower-like structures and large, almost square houses. This evolution is clearly documented at Mallorca. Also, both islands see the appearance of a new type of religious architecture, the so-called taulas at Menorca and horseshoe shaped monuments at Mallorca.
14C-dating of the skeleton remains and the content of the lead coffin attributed to the Blessed Idesbald (Abbey of the Dunes, Koksijde, Belgium), 2016
In 2015 the supposed lead coffin of Blessed Idesbald (†1167 AD) was opened for examination. The c... more In 2015 the supposed lead coffin of Blessed Idesbald (†1167 AD) was opened for examination. The content (one male skeleton, a piece of textile and plant fragments) as well as the carbonated lead of the coffin were dated. The results reveal that the skeleton and the coffin are from the second part of the 15th century, beginning of the 16th century and the plant fragments were even younger. The lead carbonate dates support the suggestion that the skeleton remains belonged to the original deposition. Aromatized plant fibres were added after the coffin was unearthed in 1623 AD.
Multiple radiocarbon dating of a single skeleton. Assessing issues of precision and accuracy in the Argaric Bronze Age., 2016
The aim of this paper is to discuss issues of precision and accuracy of radiocarbon dates when te... more The aim of this paper is to discuss issues of precision and accuracy of radiocarbon dates when testing a specific archaeological hypothesis. Our case study is framed in the Argaric "marriage versus descent" debate (Bronze Age of southeast Spain), where a high chronological resolution is needed in order to interpret the time gap between the deaths of the two adults of opposite sex usually found in double burials. We have dated the time of death of an Argaric male by means of six different skeletal samples. The results of this multiple dating of a single event support the precision of the method but raises questions over the limits of its accuracy when the human life span is on the same scale as the chronological resolution. Múltiples dataciones por radiocarbono de un solo esqueleto. Evaluación de los problemas de precisión y precisión en la Edad del Bronce Argárico Resumen. El objetivo de este artículo es discutir los temas de precisión y exactitud de las fechas de radiocarbono al probar una hipótesis arqueológica específica. Nuestro estudio de caso se enmarca en el debate argárico "matrimonio versus ascendencia" (Edad del Bronce en el sureste español), donde se necesita una alta resolución cronológica para interpretar la diferencia temporal entre las muertes de los dos adultos de sexo opuesto que suelen encontrarse en entierros dobles. Hemos datado el momento de la muerte de un varón argárico mediante seis muestras óseas diferentes. Los resultados de esta datación múltiple de un solo evento apoyan la precisión del método, pero plantean interrogantes sobre los límites de su exactitud cuando la duración de la vida humana está en la misma escala que la resolución cronológica.
The radiocarbon dating laboratory at KIK-IRPA is the only one that survived after 50 years of ra... more The radiocarbon dating laboratory at KIK-IRPA is the only one that survived after 50 years of radiocarbon research in Belgium. All the others have been closed. The paper discusses how this happened.
Because hardly any charcoal is found in the lime burial of Cova de sa Prior as well as in many ot... more Because hardly any charcoal is found in the lime burial of Cova de sa Prior as well as in many other lime burials on the Balearic islands, the question was raised if the cremation ritual was performed on site or not . Samples of the lime conglomerate and lime lumps were compared with limestone from the cave itself as well as from the area around the cave. Thin-section petrography of the lime conglomerate and lumps gave no relevant information about the provenance of the limestone used for the cremation rite, but preserved structures of the source rock found in an incompletely burned limestone fragment showed that most probably the limestone comes from the direct vicinity of the cave or even from within the cave itself.
Multiple oscillations during the Lateglacial as recorded in a multi-proxy, high-resolution record of the Moervaart palaeolake (NW Belgium)
This paper presents the results of multidisciplinary research carried out on the deposits of Moer... more This paper presents the results of multidisciplinary research carried out on the deposits of Moervaart depression, NW Belgium, one of the largest palaeolakes (~25 km 2) that existed during the Lateglacial interstadial in NW Europe. The multi-proxy study, including physical (organic matter and calcium car-bonate, magnetic susceptibility, micromorphological), botanical (pollen, macrofossils, diatoms), zoological (ostracods, molluscs, chironomids) and chemical analyses (stable carbon and oxygen isotopes) has resulted in a detailed reconstruction of the Lateglacial landscape as well of the local conditions that prevailed in the lake itself. A chronology of the record was provided by radiocarbon dating and comparison with radio-carbon dates of the nearby Rieme site. These yielded a good match with the regional biostratigraphy. During the Lateglacial, vegetation and geomorphology of the landscape in general changed from a tundra landscape to a boreal forest. The vegetation development, however, was interrupted by a number of cold reversals. Three centennial-scale cold oscillations are present in the record: 1) the so-called Older Dryas corresponding to GI-1d in the Greenland ice-cores, 2) a short and pronounced cold event during the early Allerød, which could be correlated to GI-1c2 and 3) a cooling event during the late Allerød probably corresponding to the Intra Allerød Cold Period (IACP) or GI-1b. The latter most likely was responsible for the disappearance of the Moervaart palaeolake.
In order to verify the relative dating based on pot type morphology and decoration of the Swifter... more In order to verify the relative dating based on pot type morphology and decoration of the Swifterbant pottery collected at the Final Mesolithic site of Doel "Deurganckdok" (Belgium) and of the Late Iron Age pottery excavated at Grijpskerke (the Netherlands), direct radiocarbon dates ...
The chronology of the Balearic lime burials has been under debate for many years. It has been unc... more The chronology of the Balearic lime burials has been under debate for many years. It has been unclear for a long time when the interments in lime burials came in use during the Iron Age also called the Talayotic period on the Balearic Islands. Different opinions exist, some archaeologists define the entire Iron Age as the Talayotic period, some include also the late Bronze Age in this cultural period. Still others call the middle and Late Iron Age the Post-Talayotic period. In spite of the Hallstatt plateau in the calibration curve the radiocarbon dates of the Son Pellisser lime burial have demonstrated very clearly that the lime burial started most probably around 780 BCE and at least before 550 BCE, rejecting the hypothesis of a Late Iron Age phenomenon. Furthermore, the analysis of the bones confirmed the earlier observations that the Balearic lime burials were the result of a special type of cremation involving the use of fine crushed limestone during the Iron Age.
14C dating of human remains from the necropolis overlaying the forum of the Roman city of Pollent... more 14C dating of human remains from the necropolis overlaying the forum of the Roman city of Pollentia (Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Western Mediterranean) has helped to solve the problem of the chronology of these burials. Traditionally, this necropolis was thought to date from the fourth century AD. Recent archaeological data suggested a later chronology with graves that follow funerary practices considered of the Late Antique Christian communities on the island. The results of the radiocarbon dating provide an unexpected dating from the tenth to the twelfth centuries, well into the Islamic period (AD 902/903–1229). The results are of extreme importance as they offer, for the first time, an absolute chronology for this necropolis. Furthermore, they may provide archaeological evidence of the existence of non-Muslim communities into the Muslim period on the island. This absolute chronology and its implications are a major breakthrough for the history of Pollentia, Mallorca and the Balearics.
ABSTRACT Based on the evidence of a recently excavated, sealed site, situated at Ruien “Rosalinde... more ABSTRACT Based on the evidence of a recently excavated, sealed site, situated at Ruien “Rosalinde” in the Belgian Scheldt valley, the response of hunter-gatherers to changing climate at the transition from the temperate Allerød to the cold Younger Dryas is discussed. Radiocarbon dated to the end of the Allerød or the very beginning of the Younger Dryas, the site of Ruien provides the earliest evidence of a refined lithic technology characterized by the use of a soft stone hammer and the production of straight and regular blade(let)s from intensively prepared cores with two opposite platforms and sharp striking angles. In the course of the Younger Dryas and Early Pre-boreal this knapping method will become standard all over Europe, from the Tanged Point Technocomplex in the North to the (Epi)Laborian in the South. It contrasts sharply with the knapping style of previous lithic traditions, such as the late Federmesser/Azilian and Bromme Technocomplexes, which was much less elaborated and mainly oriented towards the knapping of short irregular blades with a hard stone hammer. This apparently abrupt technological change was also accompanied by increased raw material procurement networks, extending over up to 250 km, and a marked microlithisation of the hunting equipment. Finally, the site of Ruien is also important as it demonstrates the limited archaeological visibility of Younger Dryas sites, explaining the scarcity of such sites within western Europe.
Detailed stratigraphic and sedimentologic work combined with high-resolution radiocarbon dating i... more Detailed stratigraphic and sedimentologic work combined with high-resolution radiocarbon dating in an exposure of an upto 12m thick Holocene succession near the town of Veurne in West Belgium has shown that filling of the coastal plain at continuous, but decelerating sea-level rise, occurs less smoothly than is usually assumed. Three tidal sequences are distinguished, separated by peat layers, the second
Ten woollen hairnets in sprang technique from the collection Katoen Natie in Antwerp were radioca... more Ten woollen hairnets in sprang technique from the collection Katoen Natie in Antwerp were radiocarbon dated
ABSTRACT: Interlaboratory comparisons have been widely used in applied radiocarbon science. These... more ABSTRACT: Interlaboratory comparisons have been widely used in applied radiocarbon science. These are an important part of ongoing quality assurance (QA) programmes, which are vital to the appropriate interpretation of the evidence provided by the 14C record in ...
Around 800 BC changes are appearing everywhere on the European Continent. On
the Balearic Islands... more Around 800 BC changes are appearing everywhere on the European Continent. On the Balearic Islands, radical cultural changes are noticed in the funerary practices, the settlement organisation and the religious architecture. During the Bronze Age, a gradual change in burial practices took place on both islands such as the evolution from dolmens to burial navetas, but around 800 BC more abrupt changes are ascertained. The Menorcan burial navetas, as well as the inhumation in cliff caves, associated with a particular treatment involving the cutting and dying of the hair disappear. Two other funerary rituals appear quite suddenly. These are the secondary cave burials, characterised by a sober disposing of the human remains. At the same time, the cremation ritual starts, which evolves into the indigenous lime burials caves. In the Late Bronze Age, the most common dwelling is the so-called naviform building, a boat shaped structure. This type of building changed in a very short time into the so-called talayotic settlements, which are characterised by the presence of tower-like structures and large, almost square houses. This evolution is clearly documented at Mallorca. Also, both islands see the appearance of a new type of religious architecture, the so-called taulas at Menorca and horseshoe shaped monuments at Mallorca.
14C-dating of the skeleton remains and the content of the lead coffin attributed to the Blessed Idesbald (Abbey of the Dunes, Koksijde, Belgium), 2016
In 2015 the supposed lead coffin of Blessed Idesbald (†1167 AD) was opened for examination. The c... more In 2015 the supposed lead coffin of Blessed Idesbald (†1167 AD) was opened for examination. The content (one male skeleton, a piece of textile and plant fragments) as well as the carbonated lead of the coffin were dated. The results reveal that the skeleton and the coffin are from the second part of the 15th century, beginning of the 16th century and the plant fragments were even younger. The lead carbonate dates support the suggestion that the skeleton remains belonged to the original deposition. Aromatized plant fibres were added after the coffin was unearthed in 1623 AD.
Multiple radiocarbon dating of a single skeleton. Assessing issues of precision and accuracy in the Argaric Bronze Age., 2016
The aim of this paper is to discuss issues of precision and accuracy of radiocarbon dates when te... more The aim of this paper is to discuss issues of precision and accuracy of radiocarbon dates when testing a specific archaeological hypothesis. Our case study is framed in the Argaric "marriage versus descent" debate (Bronze Age of southeast Spain), where a high chronological resolution is needed in order to interpret the time gap between the deaths of the two adults of opposite sex usually found in double burials. We have dated the time of death of an Argaric male by means of six different skeletal samples. The results of this multiple dating of a single event support the precision of the method but raises questions over the limits of its accuracy when the human life span is on the same scale as the chronological resolution. Múltiples dataciones por radiocarbono de un solo esqueleto. Evaluación de los problemas de precisión y precisión en la Edad del Bronce Argárico Resumen. El objetivo de este artículo es discutir los temas de precisión y exactitud de las fechas de radiocarbono al probar una hipótesis arqueológica específica. Nuestro estudio de caso se enmarca en el debate argárico "matrimonio versus ascendencia" (Edad del Bronce en el sureste español), donde se necesita una alta resolución cronológica para interpretar la diferencia temporal entre las muertes de los dos adultos de sexo opuesto que suelen encontrarse en entierros dobles. Hemos datado el momento de la muerte de un varón argárico mediante seis muestras óseas diferentes. Los resultados de esta datación múltiple de un solo evento apoyan la precisión del método, pero plantean interrogantes sobre los límites de su exactitud cuando la duración de la vida humana está en la misma escala que la resolución cronológica.
The radiocarbon dating laboratory at KIK-IRPA is the only one that survived after 50 years of ra... more The radiocarbon dating laboratory at KIK-IRPA is the only one that survived after 50 years of radiocarbon research in Belgium. All the others have been closed. The paper discusses how this happened.
Because hardly any charcoal is found in the lime burial of Cova de sa Prior as well as in many ot... more Because hardly any charcoal is found in the lime burial of Cova de sa Prior as well as in many other lime burials on the Balearic islands, the question was raised if the cremation ritual was performed on site or not . Samples of the lime conglomerate and lime lumps were compared with limestone from the cave itself as well as from the area around the cave. Thin-section petrography of the lime conglomerate and lumps gave no relevant information about the provenance of the limestone used for the cremation rite, but preserved structures of the source rock found in an incompletely burned limestone fragment showed that most probably the limestone comes from the direct vicinity of the cave or even from within the cave itself.
Multiple oscillations during the Lateglacial as recorded in a multi-proxy, high-resolution record of the Moervaart palaeolake (NW Belgium)
This paper presents the results of multidisciplinary research carried out on the deposits of Moer... more This paper presents the results of multidisciplinary research carried out on the deposits of Moervaart depression, NW Belgium, one of the largest palaeolakes (~25 km 2) that existed during the Lateglacial interstadial in NW Europe. The multi-proxy study, including physical (organic matter and calcium car-bonate, magnetic susceptibility, micromorphological), botanical (pollen, macrofossils, diatoms), zoological (ostracods, molluscs, chironomids) and chemical analyses (stable carbon and oxygen isotopes) has resulted in a detailed reconstruction of the Lateglacial landscape as well of the local conditions that prevailed in the lake itself. A chronology of the record was provided by radiocarbon dating and comparison with radio-carbon dates of the nearby Rieme site. These yielded a good match with the regional biostratigraphy. During the Lateglacial, vegetation and geomorphology of the landscape in general changed from a tundra landscape to a boreal forest. The vegetation development, however, was interrupted by a number of cold reversals. Three centennial-scale cold oscillations are present in the record: 1) the so-called Older Dryas corresponding to GI-1d in the Greenland ice-cores, 2) a short and pronounced cold event during the early Allerød, which could be correlated to GI-1c2 and 3) a cooling event during the late Allerød probably corresponding to the Intra Allerød Cold Period (IACP) or GI-1b. The latter most likely was responsible for the disappearance of the Moervaart palaeolake.
In order to verify the relative dating based on pot type morphology and decoration of the Swifter... more In order to verify the relative dating based on pot type morphology and decoration of the Swifterbant pottery collected at the Final Mesolithic site of Doel "Deurganckdok" (Belgium) and of the Late Iron Age pottery excavated at Grijpskerke (the Netherlands), direct radiocarbon dates ...
The chronology of the Balearic lime burials has been under debate for many years. It has been unc... more The chronology of the Balearic lime burials has been under debate for many years. It has been unclear for a long time when the interments in lime burials came in use during the Iron Age also called the Talayotic period on the Balearic Islands. Different opinions exist, some archaeologists define the entire Iron Age as the Talayotic period, some include also the late Bronze Age in this cultural period. Still others call the middle and Late Iron Age the Post-Talayotic period. In spite of the Hallstatt plateau in the calibration curve the radiocarbon dates of the Son Pellisser lime burial have demonstrated very clearly that the lime burial started most probably around 780 BCE and at least before 550 BCE, rejecting the hypothesis of a Late Iron Age phenomenon. Furthermore, the analysis of the bones confirmed the earlier observations that the Balearic lime burials were the result of a special type of cremation involving the use of fine crushed limestone during the Iron Age.
14C dating of human remains from the necropolis overlaying the forum of the Roman city of Pollent... more 14C dating of human remains from the necropolis overlaying the forum of the Roman city of Pollentia (Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Western Mediterranean) has helped to solve the problem of the chronology of these burials. Traditionally, this necropolis was thought to date from the fourth century AD. Recent archaeological data suggested a later chronology with graves that follow funerary practices considered of the Late Antique Christian communities on the island. The results of the radiocarbon dating provide an unexpected dating from the tenth to the twelfth centuries, well into the Islamic period (AD 902/903–1229). The results are of extreme importance as they offer, for the first time, an absolute chronology for this necropolis. Furthermore, they may provide archaeological evidence of the existence of non-Muslim communities into the Muslim period on the island. This absolute chronology and its implications are a major breakthrough for the history of Pollentia, Mallorca and the Balearics.
ABSTRACT Based on the evidence of a recently excavated, sealed site, situated at Ruien “Rosalinde... more ABSTRACT Based on the evidence of a recently excavated, sealed site, situated at Ruien “Rosalinde” in the Belgian Scheldt valley, the response of hunter-gatherers to changing climate at the transition from the temperate Allerød to the cold Younger Dryas is discussed. Radiocarbon dated to the end of the Allerød or the very beginning of the Younger Dryas, the site of Ruien provides the earliest evidence of a refined lithic technology characterized by the use of a soft stone hammer and the production of straight and regular blade(let)s from intensively prepared cores with two opposite platforms and sharp striking angles. In the course of the Younger Dryas and Early Pre-boreal this knapping method will become standard all over Europe, from the Tanged Point Technocomplex in the North to the (Epi)Laborian in the South. It contrasts sharply with the knapping style of previous lithic traditions, such as the late Federmesser/Azilian and Bromme Technocomplexes, which was much less elaborated and mainly oriented towards the knapping of short irregular blades with a hard stone hammer. This apparently abrupt technological change was also accompanied by increased raw material procurement networks, extending over up to 250 km, and a marked microlithisation of the hunting equipment. Finally, the site of Ruien is also important as it demonstrates the limited archaeological visibility of Younger Dryas sites, explaining the scarcity of such sites within western Europe.
Detailed stratigraphic and sedimentologic work combined with high-resolution radiocarbon dating i... more Detailed stratigraphic and sedimentologic work combined with high-resolution radiocarbon dating in an exposure of an upto 12m thick Holocene succession near the town of Veurne in West Belgium has shown that filling of the coastal plain at continuous, but decelerating sea-level rise, occurs less smoothly than is usually assumed. Three tidal sequences are distinguished, separated by peat layers, the second
Ten woollen hairnets in sprang technique from the collection Katoen Natie in Antwerp were radioca... more Ten woollen hairnets in sprang technique from the collection Katoen Natie in Antwerp were radiocarbon dated
ABSTRACT: Interlaboratory comparisons have been widely used in applied radiocarbon science. These... more ABSTRACT: Interlaboratory comparisons have been widely used in applied radiocarbon science. These are an important part of ongoing quality assurance (QA) programmes, which are vital to the appropriate interpretation of the evidence provided by the 14C record in ...
Absolute dating of mortars is crucial when trying to pin down construction phases of archaeologic... more Absolute dating of mortars is crucial when trying to pin down construction phases of archaeological sites and historic stone buildings to a certain point in time or to confirm, but possibly also challenge existing chronologies. It should become a standard tool for archaeometric research as it contributes considerably to the historical, artistic, social, cultural and touristic valorisation of our built heritage. To compare on the one hand the different methods – radiocarbon and OSL – as well as to evaluate the best method of how to prepare samples for radiocarbon dating, an intercomparison study amongst various laboratories was set up. The results of radiocarbon dating of mortars depend very
From Myotragus to Metellus a journey through the pre- and ealry-history of Majorca and Menorca, 2014
Little is known to the general public about the history and culture of Mallorca and Menorca.
In t... more Little is known to the general public about the history and culture of Mallorca and Menorca. In this book, Mark Van Strydonck summarizes this scientific knowledge for the first time in understandable language for the period before the Roman consul Quintus Caecilius Metellus conquered the islands for the Roman Republic in 123 BC. The author takes the historically interested reader to the talayots and taulas, buildings that did not exist anywhere else, and reports on the unique burial rites of the limestone tombs and the naviform houses of the first settlers. You will find out what the Myotragus, a now extinct Balearic goat species, is all about, how the islands were formed geologically and how fauna and flora developed.
45 Años de investigación físico-química sobre los enterramientos en cal y las implicaciones para... more 45 Años de investigación físico-química sobre los enterramientos en cal y las implicaciones para la interpretación arqueológica de los sitios.
45 Years of Physico-Chemical Research on Lime Burials, 2021
This book discusses 45 years of years Physico-Chemical Research on Lime Burials from Majorca and... more This book discusses 45 years of years Physico-Chemical Research on Lime Burials from Majorca and Minorca and the consequences of this research in the archaeological interpretation of this Iron Age burial rite.
The book (in Dutch) deals with the history of the Antwerp Theater Association De Broedermin (1985... more The book (in Dutch) deals with the history of the Antwerp Theater Association De Broedermin (1985-2020). Based on this history, the evolution of amateur theater and club life in Antwerp is sketched.
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Papers by Mark Van Strydonck
the Balearic Islands, radical cultural changes are noticed in the funerary practices,
the settlement organisation and the religious architecture. During the Bronze Age,
a gradual change in burial practices took place on both islands such as the evolution
from dolmens to burial navetas, but around 800 BC more abrupt changes are ascertained.
The Menorcan burial navetas, as well as the inhumation in cliff caves, associated
with a particular treatment involving the cutting and dying of the hair disappear.
Two other funerary rituals appear quite suddenly. These are the secondary cave
burials, characterised by a sober disposing of the human remains. At the same time,
the cremation ritual starts, which evolves into the indigenous lime burials caves. In
the Late Bronze Age, the most common dwelling is the so-called naviform building,
a boat shaped structure. This type of building changed in a very short time into the
so-called talayotic settlements, which are characterised by the presence of tower-like
structures and large, almost square houses. This evolution is clearly documented at
Mallorca. Also, both islands see the appearance of a new type of religious architecture,
the so-called taulas at Menorca and horseshoe shaped monuments at Mallorca.
fourth century AD. Recent archaeological data suggested a later chronology with graves that follow funerary practices considered of the Late Antique Christian communities on the island. The results of the radiocarbon dating provide an unexpected dating from the tenth to the twelfth centuries, well into the Islamic period (AD 902/903–1229). The results are of extreme importance as they offer, for the first time, an absolute chronology for this necropolis. Furthermore, they may provide
archaeological evidence of the existence of non-Muslim communities into the Muslim period on the island. This absolute chronology and its implications are a major breakthrough for the history of Pollentia, Mallorca and the Balearics.
the Balearic Islands, radical cultural changes are noticed in the funerary practices,
the settlement organisation and the religious architecture. During the Bronze Age,
a gradual change in burial practices took place on both islands such as the evolution
from dolmens to burial navetas, but around 800 BC more abrupt changes are ascertained.
The Menorcan burial navetas, as well as the inhumation in cliff caves, associated
with a particular treatment involving the cutting and dying of the hair disappear.
Two other funerary rituals appear quite suddenly. These are the secondary cave
burials, characterised by a sober disposing of the human remains. At the same time,
the cremation ritual starts, which evolves into the indigenous lime burials caves. In
the Late Bronze Age, the most common dwelling is the so-called naviform building,
a boat shaped structure. This type of building changed in a very short time into the
so-called talayotic settlements, which are characterised by the presence of tower-like
structures and large, almost square houses. This evolution is clearly documented at
Mallorca. Also, both islands see the appearance of a new type of religious architecture,
the so-called taulas at Menorca and horseshoe shaped monuments at Mallorca.
fourth century AD. Recent archaeological data suggested a later chronology with graves that follow funerary practices considered of the Late Antique Christian communities on the island. The results of the radiocarbon dating provide an unexpected dating from the tenth to the twelfth centuries, well into the Islamic period (AD 902/903–1229). The results are of extreme importance as they offer, for the first time, an absolute chronology for this necropolis. Furthermore, they may provide
archaeological evidence of the existence of non-Muslim communities into the Muslim period on the island. This absolute chronology and its implications are a major breakthrough for the history of Pollentia, Mallorca and the Balearics.
In this book, Mark Van Strydonck summarizes this scientific knowledge for the first time in understandable language for the period before the Roman consul Quintus Caecilius Metellus conquered the islands for the Roman Republic in 123 BC. The author takes the historically interested reader to the talayots and taulas, buildings that did not exist anywhere else, and reports on the unique burial rites of the limestone tombs and the naviform houses of the first settlers. You will find out what the Myotragus, a now extinct Balearic goat species, is all about, how the islands were formed geologically and how fauna and flora developed.