Conference Presentations by Paula Becerra Fuello
Landscape Archaeology Conference, 2021
POSTER
VIII Congreso Internacional del Neolítico en la Península Ibérica, 2024
EAA 2024 #1151: Time for big changes: Transformative and persistent impulses in the 4th and 3rd millennia BC Europe, 2024
EAA 2024 #627: More than Fire: Investigating Pyre Technology in Experimental and Archaeological Cremations for Understanding the Burning Conditions, 2024
Iberian megalithic funerary rituals are characterized by multi-depositional events creating compl... more Iberian megalithic funerary rituals are characterized by multi-depositional events creating complex palimpsests. This is the case of southeastern Iberia, one of the classical Iberian megalithic regions. Archaeological fieldwork undertaken in 2023 at Los Milanes site (Abla, Almería), revealed a necropolis composed of at least 18 tholoi or tombs with circular chambers covered by false vaults. The excavation of Tomb 8 showed an unknown funerary ritual that consisted of thousands of cremated bone remains. The bone assemblage, currently under analysis, is made of highly fragmented human remains with clear thermal alteration. The macroscopic characteristics of the human bones showed all types of coloration ranging from brownish to chalky white and a wide range of heat induced fractures including patina and warping. The cremated bones belong to different anatomical regions including even small bones, such as sesamoid bones, feet phalanges or carpal bones from at least a minimum number of 16 individuals. The absence of ash and charcoal associated to the cremated bones suggests that the funerary chamber was not where the pyre was located. Currently, the pre- burning conditions and heat induced features are been explored through a set of bioarchaeological analyses, which allow us to interpret the original position of the corpses and/or skeletons in the pyres and to reconstruct the paleodemographic profile of this population. Other additional techniques such as SEM or FTIR would also be applied to understand the cremation process.
The analysis of this assemblage from Los Milanes throughout bioarchaeological methods is key to understand the complexity and the wide variety of funerary practices that were taken place at megalithic monuments.
Keywords
Cremation, Megalithism, Tholoi, Bioarchaeology, Iberia
The strange times we are living are showing us how quickly humans can adapt to change. Keeping in... more The strange times we are living are showing us how quickly humans can adapt to change. Keeping in mind that transformations are most likely a constantly occurring aspect of human life we want to ask: How was change in prehistory? Was it perceptible on a human scale? Were past communities able to readjust and reinvent themselves in the face of adversity?
These, and other questions, are particularly applicable to the fluctuations that occur during the transition between the 3rd and 2nd millennium BC, a period marked by cultural shifts archaeologically visible throughout Europe. Transformative processes in populational dynamics, mobility practices and material exchange networks have been in the spotlight for quite some time. The Iberian Peninsula in particular functions as an excellent example for this development whereby a plethora of prehistoric contexts may indicate different socio-political trajectories. Adding to that, the existence of multiple ongoing long term projects in key sites (as ditched enclosures) has allowed the application of new methodologies like research on ancient DNA, paleoclimatic reconstructions and mobility studies (mainly through isotopic analysis) that have made the Iberian Peninsula a stage on which current theoretical backgrounds are being questioned.
As such, there is a pressing necessity to confront, match and reconcile new sets of data and the archaeological evidence not only in Iberia but also throughout the rest of Europe, allowing to rethink and update theories and biographic narratives that will contribute to a possibly closer grasp on the lifeways of prehistoric communities.
For this session, we invite presentations dealing with change in European contexts of the 3rd/2nd millennium BC, in order to stimulate comparisons between different theories and methodologies. We would also appreciate input from archaeological science researchers (aDNA, mobility, demography).
Eventually, we intend to provide new insights to the prehistoric lifeways, based on solid interpretive hypothesis.
XV CONGRESO NACIONAL E INTERNACIONAL DE PALEOPATOLOGÍA, 2019
Introducción: El antiguo monasterio de San Jerónimo el Real (siglo XVI-XX) fue uno de los monaste... more Introducción: El antiguo monasterio de San Jerónimo el Real (siglo XVI-XX) fue uno de los monasterios más importantes de Madrid, regido originariamente por la Orden de San Jerónimo. El convento estuvo estrechamente ligado a la vida de la Corte y la monarquía española y fue el lugar de celebración de bodas y proclamaciones regias. En 1998, el Claustro del antiguo convento fue excavado y este espacio se anexó al Museo del Prado.
Material y métodos: El análisis del material exhumado en el monasterio de San Jerónimo (Madrid) incluye 22 tumbas individuales y 5 conjuntos de huesos (rellenos y acumulaciones). Se llevó a cabo un análisis antropológico, paleopatológico e isotópico de los restos.
Principales resultados: Todos los individuos, cuyo sexo fue posible estimar, eran hombres adultos. Se han observado numerosas diferencias entre ellos, tanto en su robustez como en los marcadores de estrés pero, sorprendentemente, también en su alimentación. Tratándose de una comunidad religiosa, que teóricamente debería haber tenido una dieta homogénea (los mismos alimentos y en las mismas cantidades) y con restricciones religiosas (ayunos), los resultados isotópicos muestran importantes diferencias entre individuos. También se anotaron varias enfermedades infecciosas, entre las cuales un posible caso de sífilis (enfermedad de transmisión sexual) sin duda es lo que llama mayormente la atención.
Conclusiones: Con estos resultados, se observan grandes diferencias en la forma de vida entre los individuos que formaban esta comunidad religiosa y que, en algunos casos, parece indicar que los votos no eran totalmente respetados. Es posible que la cercanía con la Corona hubiera podido otorgar a estos monjes mayores privilegios y libertades y una relajación en el cumplimiento de las estrictas normas de la orden.
Papers by Paula Becerra Fuello
Scientific Reports, 2024
Uncertainties regarding traditional osteological methods in biological sex estimation can often b... more Uncertainties regarding traditional osteological methods in biological sex estimation can often be overcome with genomic and proteomic analyses. The combination of the three methodologies has been used for a better understanding of the gender-related funerary rituals at the Iberian megalithic cemetery of Panoría. As a result, 44 individuals have been sexed including, for the first time, nonadults. Contrary to the male bias found in many Iberian and European megalithic monuments, the Panoría population shows a clear sex ratio imbalance in favour of females, with twice as many females as males. Furthermore, this imbalance is found regardless of the criterion considered: sex ratio by tomb, chronological period, method of sex estimation, or age group. Biological relatedness was considered as possible sociocultural explanations for this female-related bias. However, the current results obtained for Panoría are indicative of a female-centred social structure potentially influencing rites and cultural traditions.
Las tumbas y los muertos. Los muertos entre las tumbas, 2023
The human and animal remains found at the
megalithic necropolis of Panoría
(Darro, Granada) are d... more The human and animal remains found at the
megalithic necropolis of Panoría
(Darro, Granada) are discussed in this paper. The
results stress different conclusions related to
the funerary ritual and the features of the buried
population. The anthropological characterization
shows a population without biases of sex and
age, although with a clear under-representation
of subadult individuals as result of probably
taphonomic processes. The health conditions
are dominated by degenerative joint diseases,
followed by infectious disease and trauma. The
oral pathologies are consistent with a diet low in
carbohydrates. Particularly noteworthy are the
marks such as grooves and notches found in three
teeth probably related to thread and cordages
preparation. Marine shells, sometimes modified to
be used as necklace beads, and animal phalanges
also were found as grave goods.
Las tumbas y los muertos. Los muertos entre las tumbas, 2023
The chronology and temporality of the different
ritual and funerary practices is a key aspect in
... more The chronology and temporality of the different
ritual and funerary practices is a key aspect in
the study of megalithic societies. The cemetery of
Panoría offers an excellent opportunity for exploring
ritual complexity in Iberia through radiocarbon
chronology. For this purpose, seventy-three
radiocarbon dates were obtained and analysed
within a statistical framework. The resulting refined
chronology has led us to three main conclusions: i)
in all tombs, the second half of the 4th millennium
cal BC was an intensive but brief period of funerary
depositions, probably over three to six generations;
ii) after a long hiatus, most of the dolmens were
reused in the 25th and 21st centuries cal BC during
even shorter periods, spanning just a few decades
and approximately one to four generations; and
(iii) long after the funerary rituals had ended in the
21st century, the necropolis was reused in the 5th
century AD, during the Late Antiquity.
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2023
The transition between the Copper Age and the Argaric Bronze Age in southeastern Iberia has tradi... more The transition between the Copper Age and the Argaric Bronze Age in southeastern Iberia has traditionally been understood in an evolutionary framework that would have involved the replacement of some cultural forms by others. The chronology of megalithic societies has changed this assumption, revealing that the continuity of ancestral funerary practices is also a key feature of the Bronze Age. In this context, the new radiocarbon series from Los Eriales discussed in this paper can be considered a key contribution. Three main aspects stand out according to their statistical analysis: i) Los Eriales should be considered the most recent Iberian megalithic cemetery, as ritual activity began in the last centuries of the third millennium cal BC; ii) funerary activity took place during short events of intensive ritual depositions spanning a few decades, mainly in the 21st and 18th centuries; and iii) Los Eriales cemetery was mainly used during the Argaric period, which means the coexistence of two very different funerary practices: collective megalithic rituals and individual intramural inhumations. The continuity of megalithic rituals can be explained in terms of resilience to the social fragmentation that characterised Argaric societies.
Ya está lista la segunda edición de "Novedades del Megalitismo peninsular" que se celebrará los d... more Ya está lista la segunda edición de "Novedades del Megalitismo peninsular" que se celebrará los días 14-16 de julio en el Conjunto arqueológico de Los Dólmenes de Antequera (Málaga). Tras el éxito de la reunión "Las tumbas y los muertos, los muertos entre las tumbas" celebrada en el municipio de Reinoso (Burgos) el pasado mes de julio, anunciamos con gran entusiasmo el programa de estas nuevas jornadas, en las que podremos conocer las últimas investigaciones llevadas a cabo en los yacimientos más relevantes de la Península Ibérica en un entorno único como es el Conjunto de Los Dólmenes de Antequera. Junto con las diferentes ponencias, disfrutaremos de visitas a los propios dólmenes de Antequera, a El Torcal, la cueva del Toro y la necrópolis megalítica de Teba. Las personas interesadas en asistir pueden inscribirse de forma gratuita enviando un email a sonia.diaz@uva.es con sus datos personales. Con la inscripción gratuita se incluyen las comidas de los días 15 y 16 de julio.
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports Volume 46, 2002
We examine the quantity, contextual quality and spatial distribution of the data gathered in the ... more We examine the quantity, contextual quality and spatial distribution of the data gathered in the strontium isotope archaeological database for the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, an open source available as part of IDEArq (www.idearq.org), the spatial data infrastructure hosted at the Instituto de Historia (CSIC). It has to date 1635 87Sr/86Sr values from human and animal samples, and environmental proxies recovered during archaeological research. The data has allowed us to produce the first regional and peninsular strontium isoscapes for Iberia. We discuss the benefits and limitations of approaching mobility in Iberia through 87Sr/86Sr isotope analysis and suggest directions for future collaborative research.
Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2020
The estimation of the sex of the individual is a parameter of great value in forensic contexts an... more The estimation of the sex of the individual is a parameter of great value in forensic contexts and, above all, in archaeological contexts, where it is more difficult to apply genetic studies. In contrast with methods based on non-metric variables, we propose the use of a random generalized linear model for the determination of sex, starting from the Howells craniometric database and testing them on the dataset of known sex of the Forensic Data Bank, with 2524 and 1314 individuals respectively. After eliminating the individual's considered outliers or with missing data, we proceeded to analyse which variables were more dimorphic between sexes (bizigomatic width, ZYB; bijugal width, JUB; mastoid height, MDH; glabela-occipital length, GOL; bifrontal width, FMB); these were used to build the statistical model. Subsequently, a comparison was made between the functions proposed by other authors and our model to determine their capacity in absolute terms, as well as by sex. The result is a random generalized linear model made up of 300 bags that, based on the five measures mentioned, reached 86.26% precision classifying the sex of individuals from the Forensic Data Bank (89.7% in the male sample and 82.82% in the female one). Although the method presented here should be taken with caution and not as the only way to estimate sex, it has proven to be statistically accurate in addition to having a non-regional vocation.
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Conference Presentations by Paula Becerra Fuello
The analysis of this assemblage from Los Milanes throughout bioarchaeological methods is key to understand the complexity and the wide variety of funerary practices that were taken place at megalithic monuments.
Keywords
Cremation, Megalithism, Tholoi, Bioarchaeology, Iberia
These, and other questions, are particularly applicable to the fluctuations that occur during the transition between the 3rd and 2nd millennium BC, a period marked by cultural shifts archaeologically visible throughout Europe. Transformative processes in populational dynamics, mobility practices and material exchange networks have been in the spotlight for quite some time. The Iberian Peninsula in particular functions as an excellent example for this development whereby a plethora of prehistoric contexts may indicate different socio-political trajectories. Adding to that, the existence of multiple ongoing long term projects in key sites (as ditched enclosures) has allowed the application of new methodologies like research on ancient DNA, paleoclimatic reconstructions and mobility studies (mainly through isotopic analysis) that have made the Iberian Peninsula a stage on which current theoretical backgrounds are being questioned.
As such, there is a pressing necessity to confront, match and reconcile new sets of data and the archaeological evidence not only in Iberia but also throughout the rest of Europe, allowing to rethink and update theories and biographic narratives that will contribute to a possibly closer grasp on the lifeways of prehistoric communities.
For this session, we invite presentations dealing with change in European contexts of the 3rd/2nd millennium BC, in order to stimulate comparisons between different theories and methodologies. We would also appreciate input from archaeological science researchers (aDNA, mobility, demography).
Eventually, we intend to provide new insights to the prehistoric lifeways, based on solid interpretive hypothesis.
Material y métodos: El análisis del material exhumado en el monasterio de San Jerónimo (Madrid) incluye 22 tumbas individuales y 5 conjuntos de huesos (rellenos y acumulaciones). Se llevó a cabo un análisis antropológico, paleopatológico e isotópico de los restos.
Principales resultados: Todos los individuos, cuyo sexo fue posible estimar, eran hombres adultos. Se han observado numerosas diferencias entre ellos, tanto en su robustez como en los marcadores de estrés pero, sorprendentemente, también en su alimentación. Tratándose de una comunidad religiosa, que teóricamente debería haber tenido una dieta homogénea (los mismos alimentos y en las mismas cantidades) y con restricciones religiosas (ayunos), los resultados isotópicos muestran importantes diferencias entre individuos. También se anotaron varias enfermedades infecciosas, entre las cuales un posible caso de sífilis (enfermedad de transmisión sexual) sin duda es lo que llama mayormente la atención.
Conclusiones: Con estos resultados, se observan grandes diferencias en la forma de vida entre los individuos que formaban esta comunidad religiosa y que, en algunos casos, parece indicar que los votos no eran totalmente respetados. Es posible que la cercanía con la Corona hubiera podido otorgar a estos monjes mayores privilegios y libertades y una relajación en el cumplimiento de las estrictas normas de la orden.
Papers by Paula Becerra Fuello
megalithic necropolis of Panoría
(Darro, Granada) are discussed in this paper. The
results stress different conclusions related to
the funerary ritual and the features of the buried
population. The anthropological characterization
shows a population without biases of sex and
age, although with a clear under-representation
of subadult individuals as result of probably
taphonomic processes. The health conditions
are dominated by degenerative joint diseases,
followed by infectious disease and trauma. The
oral pathologies are consistent with a diet low in
carbohydrates. Particularly noteworthy are the
marks such as grooves and notches found in three
teeth probably related to thread and cordages
preparation. Marine shells, sometimes modified to
be used as necklace beads, and animal phalanges
also were found as grave goods.
ritual and funerary practices is a key aspect in
the study of megalithic societies. The cemetery of
Panoría offers an excellent opportunity for exploring
ritual complexity in Iberia through radiocarbon
chronology. For this purpose, seventy-three
radiocarbon dates were obtained and analysed
within a statistical framework. The resulting refined
chronology has led us to three main conclusions: i)
in all tombs, the second half of the 4th millennium
cal BC was an intensive but brief period of funerary
depositions, probably over three to six generations;
ii) after a long hiatus, most of the dolmens were
reused in the 25th and 21st centuries cal BC during
even shorter periods, spanning just a few decades
and approximately one to four generations; and
(iii) long after the funerary rituals had ended in the
21st century, the necropolis was reused in the 5th
century AD, during the Late Antiquity.
The analysis of this assemblage from Los Milanes throughout bioarchaeological methods is key to understand the complexity and the wide variety of funerary practices that were taken place at megalithic monuments.
Keywords
Cremation, Megalithism, Tholoi, Bioarchaeology, Iberia
These, and other questions, are particularly applicable to the fluctuations that occur during the transition between the 3rd and 2nd millennium BC, a period marked by cultural shifts archaeologically visible throughout Europe. Transformative processes in populational dynamics, mobility practices and material exchange networks have been in the spotlight for quite some time. The Iberian Peninsula in particular functions as an excellent example for this development whereby a plethora of prehistoric contexts may indicate different socio-political trajectories. Adding to that, the existence of multiple ongoing long term projects in key sites (as ditched enclosures) has allowed the application of new methodologies like research on ancient DNA, paleoclimatic reconstructions and mobility studies (mainly through isotopic analysis) that have made the Iberian Peninsula a stage on which current theoretical backgrounds are being questioned.
As such, there is a pressing necessity to confront, match and reconcile new sets of data and the archaeological evidence not only in Iberia but also throughout the rest of Europe, allowing to rethink and update theories and biographic narratives that will contribute to a possibly closer grasp on the lifeways of prehistoric communities.
For this session, we invite presentations dealing with change in European contexts of the 3rd/2nd millennium BC, in order to stimulate comparisons between different theories and methodologies. We would also appreciate input from archaeological science researchers (aDNA, mobility, demography).
Eventually, we intend to provide new insights to the prehistoric lifeways, based on solid interpretive hypothesis.
Material y métodos: El análisis del material exhumado en el monasterio de San Jerónimo (Madrid) incluye 22 tumbas individuales y 5 conjuntos de huesos (rellenos y acumulaciones). Se llevó a cabo un análisis antropológico, paleopatológico e isotópico de los restos.
Principales resultados: Todos los individuos, cuyo sexo fue posible estimar, eran hombres adultos. Se han observado numerosas diferencias entre ellos, tanto en su robustez como en los marcadores de estrés pero, sorprendentemente, también en su alimentación. Tratándose de una comunidad religiosa, que teóricamente debería haber tenido una dieta homogénea (los mismos alimentos y en las mismas cantidades) y con restricciones religiosas (ayunos), los resultados isotópicos muestran importantes diferencias entre individuos. También se anotaron varias enfermedades infecciosas, entre las cuales un posible caso de sífilis (enfermedad de transmisión sexual) sin duda es lo que llama mayormente la atención.
Conclusiones: Con estos resultados, se observan grandes diferencias en la forma de vida entre los individuos que formaban esta comunidad religiosa y que, en algunos casos, parece indicar que los votos no eran totalmente respetados. Es posible que la cercanía con la Corona hubiera podido otorgar a estos monjes mayores privilegios y libertades y una relajación en el cumplimiento de las estrictas normas de la orden.
megalithic necropolis of Panoría
(Darro, Granada) are discussed in this paper. The
results stress different conclusions related to
the funerary ritual and the features of the buried
population. The anthropological characterization
shows a population without biases of sex and
age, although with a clear under-representation
of subadult individuals as result of probably
taphonomic processes. The health conditions
are dominated by degenerative joint diseases,
followed by infectious disease and trauma. The
oral pathologies are consistent with a diet low in
carbohydrates. Particularly noteworthy are the
marks such as grooves and notches found in three
teeth probably related to thread and cordages
preparation. Marine shells, sometimes modified to
be used as necklace beads, and animal phalanges
also were found as grave goods.
ritual and funerary practices is a key aspect in
the study of megalithic societies. The cemetery of
Panoría offers an excellent opportunity for exploring
ritual complexity in Iberia through radiocarbon
chronology. For this purpose, seventy-three
radiocarbon dates were obtained and analysed
within a statistical framework. The resulting refined
chronology has led us to three main conclusions: i)
in all tombs, the second half of the 4th millennium
cal BC was an intensive but brief period of funerary
depositions, probably over three to six generations;
ii) after a long hiatus, most of the dolmens were
reused in the 25th and 21st centuries cal BC during
even shorter periods, spanning just a few decades
and approximately one to four generations; and
(iii) long after the funerary rituals had ended in the
21st century, the necropolis was reused in the 5th
century AD, during the Late Antiquity.