Ana Pajuelo

The great site of Valencina de la Concepción, near Seville in the lower Guadalquivir valley of southwest Spain, is presented in the context of debate about the nature of Copper Age society in southern Iberia as a whole. Many aspects of the layout, use, character and development of Valencina remain unclear, just as there are major unresolved questions about the kind of society represented there and in southern Iberia, from the late fourth to the late third millennia cal BC. This paper discusses 178 radiocarbon dates, from 17 excavated sectors within the 450ha site, making it the best dated in later Iberian prehistory as a whole. Dates are formally modelled in a Bayesian statistical framework. The bulk of samples were chosen from the varied mortuary contexts, from pits and artificial caves to megalithic tholos tombs, which constitute a major part of the archaeology of Copper Age Valencina. The resulting formal date estimates provide the basis for both a new epistemological approach to the site as well as a much more detailed narrative of its development than previously available. Beginning in the 32nd century cal BC, a long-lasting tradition of simple, mainly collective and often successive burial was established at the site. There is plenty of evidence for a wide range of other activity, but no clear sign of permanent, large-scale residence or public buildings or spaces. Probably by the 30th or 29th century cal BC, a new form of mortuary practice had emerged alongside older traditions, in the shape of the distinctive megalithic tholos tombs, some of which contained exotic and abundant goods accompanying the dead. Though the models lack precision, this phase of showy funerals and social display, perhaps aimed at establishing new forms of descent and social hierarchisation partly based on the manipulation of the past, may not have lasted much beyond the 28th century cal BC. It is possible that activity as a whole had declined before the middle of the third millennium cal BC, and around 2500 cal BC,

The settlement of Valencina de la Concepción (Seville, Spain) is one of the
most important sites in the Iberian Prehistory, not only for its great tombs, but also due to its magnitude. Unlike utilitarian vessels, frequent in the archaeological record, the presence of bell beaker ceramics is relatively scarce and is reduced to small fragments from superficial contexts or early archaeological excavations. However, recent archaeological work in the upper part of the settlement has provided new information and additional readings on these productions. The presence of a large number of bell beaker sherds found in association with prestige goods gave us the possibility to evaluate the manufacturing processes and explore their symbolic meaning, proposing alternative interpretations
about the role of these items as vehicles for the legitimation of power.

El asentamiento de Valencina de la Concepción (Sevilla, España) es un referente en la arqueología prehistórica peninsular, no sólo por sus grandes tumbas, sino también por su gran magnitud. A pesar de las innumerables evidencias sólo recientemente la componente cerámica ha sido objeto de un amplio estudio que ha permitido proponer un primer modelo de organización técnica y social de la producción alfarera. Por
el contrario, la presencia de cerámica campaniforme es relativamente escasa y se reduce a pequeños fragmentos procedentes de contextos superficiales o de excavaciones arqueológicas antiguas. No obstante, trabajos arqueológicos recientes en el área habitacional del asentamiento ubicada en la parte más alta del asentamiento han aportado novedosas informaciones y una lectura adicional sobre estas producciones. La presencia de un gran número de registros campaniformes abría la posibilidad de evaluar las características de
la materias primas utilizadas y de los procesos de manufactura, explorar su significado simbólico y plantear propuestas alternativas de interpretación sobre el papel de estas producciones cerámicas como vehículos de legitimación de poder.

The great site of Valencina de la Concepción, near Seville in the lower Guadalquivir valley of southwest Spain, is presented in the context of debate about the nature of Copper Age society in southern Iberia as a whole. Many aspects of the layout, use, character and development of Valencina remain unclear, just as there are major unresolved questions about the kind of society represented there and in southern Iberia, from the late fourth to the late third millennia cal BC. This paper discusses 178 radiocarbon dates, from 17 excavated sectors within the 450ha site, making it the best dated in later Iberian prehistory as a whole. Dates are formally modelled in a Bayesian statistical framework. The bulk of samples were chosen from the varied mortuary contexts, from pits and artificial caves to megalithic tholos tombs, which constitute a major part of the archaeology of Copper Age Valencina. The resulting formal date estimates provide the basis for both a new epistemological approach to the site as well as a much more detailed narrative of its development than previously available. Beginning in the 32nd century cal BC, a long-lasting tradition of simple, mainly collective and often successive burial was established at the site. There is plenty of evidence for a wide range of other activity, but no clear sign of permanent, large-scale residence or public buildings or spaces. Probably by the 30th or 29th century cal BC, a new form of mortuary practice had emerged alongside older traditions, in the shape of the distinctive megalithic tholos tombs, some of which contained exotic and abundant goods accompanying the dead. Though the models lack precision, this phase of showy funerals and social display, perhaps aimed at establishing new forms of descent and social hierarchisation partly based on the manipulation of the past, may not have lasted much beyond the 28th century cal BC. It is possible that activity as a whole had declined before the middle of the third millennium cal BC, and around 2500 cal BC,

The great site of Valencina de la Concepción, near Seville in the lower Guadalquivir valley of south-west Spain, is presented in the context of debate about the nature of Copper Age society in southern Iberia as a whole. Many aspects of the layout, use, character and development of Valencina remain unclear, just as there are major unresolved questions about the kind of society represented there and in southern Iberia, from the late fourth to the late third millennia cal BC. This paper discusses 178 radiocarbon dates, from 17 excavated sectors within the 450ha site, making it the best dated in later Iberian prehistory as a whole. Dates are formally modelled in a Bayesian statistical framework. The bulk of samples were chosen from the varied mortuary contexts, from pits and artificial caves to megalithic tholos tombs, which constitute a major part of the archaeology of Copper Age Valencina. The resulting formal date estimates provide the basis for both a new epistemological approach to the site as well as a much more detailed narrative of its development than previously available. Beginning in the 32nd century cal BC, a long-lasting tradition of simple, mainly collective and often successive burial was established at the site. There is plenty of evidence for a wide range of other activity, but no clear sign of permanent, large-scale residence or public buildings or spaces. Probably by the 30th or 29th century cal BC, a new form of mortuary practice had emerged alongside older traditions, in the shape of the distinctive megalithic tholos tombs, some of which contained exotic and abundant goods accompanying the dead. Though the models lack precision, this phase of showy funerals and social display, perhaps aimed at establishing new forms of descent and social hierarchisation partly based on the manipulation of the past, may not have lasted much beyond the 28th century cal BC. It is possible that activity as a whole had declined before the middle of the third millennium cal BC, and around 2500 cal BC, dated sectors indicate further changes in mortuary practice, with possible single events, containing in one instance signs of defleshing (perhaps associated with violence); by this date, Bell Beaker pottery was present on the site. Major monuments, such as La Pastora and Matarrubilla were probably also late constructions. At least some of the ditches known at the site probably also belong late in the sequence. Overall, a pattern is indicated of initial establishment and consolidation of mortuary tradition, followed by the emergence of the more elaborate tholos architecture and the sometimes exotic contents. Funerary activity probably declined in intensity in the second quarter of the third millennium cal BC but was followed by a resurgence including the construction of the grand tholos of La Pastora in the generations around 2500 cal BC. This resurgence was relatively brief and the intensive funerary activity probably ended during the 24th century cal BC. Results in general support a model of increasingly competitive but ultimately unstable social relations.

Presentamos a continuación un " ídolo tipo tolva " hallado en el Llano de los Covachos (Almadén de la Plata, Sevilla). Esta representación idolátrica forma parte de la extensa variabilidad tipológica de los productos ideológicos de IV y III milenios a.n.e., muy relacionados con la plasmación física de la ideología predominante. El producto ideológico de Los Covachos destaca, en el SW peninsular, por el soporte material sobre el que está elaborado, siendo el único ejemplar en esta región manufacturado en alabastro, materia prima que se constata de forma recurrente en Andalucía Oriental, más concretamente en la necrópolis de Los Millares.

We present a " bowling pin " found in the Llano de los Covachos (Almadén de la Plata, Sevi-lla). This idolatrous representation is part of the extensive typological variability of ideological products IV and III millennia BC, closely related to the physical shape of the dominant ideology. The ideological product Los Covachos stresses in the SW peninsular, the material on which support is made, the only copy in this region manufactured in alabaster, raw material is found recurrently in eastern Andalusia, more specifically in the necropolis of Los Millares.

With this work we have tried to review an archaeological excavation carried out in 1996 in the site named Señorío de Guzmán in Castilleja de Guzmán in light of the most findings that have ocurred in the recent years. More tahn 20 funerary structures were detected during the work of land preparation, but only were excavated five of them, four prehistoric and one more of "tartesic" date. From prehistoric tombs there were two of masonry with false dome and two stale slabs, all of them with few grave goods but so much interesting, consisting of ivory, copper elements (1 axe) gold (1 decorated sheet), Beaker pottery, beads necklace (limestone, Dentalium and cowries, etc.)

"En los últimos años, se han detectado en Valencina una serie de estructuras funerarias del tipo cueva artificial. Estos hallazgos han abierto una nueva perspectiva respecto al variado panorama funerario que se constata en este asentamiento, tanto en la configuración del mismo, conformándose cómo autenticas necrópolis con cuevas artificiales, como en el emplazamiento geográfico que ocupan tanto en el propio yacimiento como a nivel regional.

Last years, there have been detected in Valencina a several funerary structures of the type artificial sdcave. These findings have opened a new perspective into the diversified funerary panorama that is stated in this site, so much in the configuration of the same one, conforming as authentic necropolis of artificial caves, as in the geographical emplacement that they occupy so much into the own site as to the regional level."

The text deals to several objects of the calcolithic settlement of Amarguillo II (Los Molares, Sevilla) coming from archaeological excavations, prospections and chance discoveries, which seem to be related with Typical Sketch Art. Similar objects can be found in different places in the Iberian Peninsula and along the European Atlantic front, mainly in Brittany, Scotland and Ireland.

En la necrópolis de Valencina (III milenio a.n.e.) se han excavado hasta la fecha más de 120 enterramientos de muy diversa índole: grandes tholoi con túmulo, tumbas de cámara y corredor de fábrica y tamaño variado, fosas simples y hasta reutilizaciones de estructuras no funerarias como silos, fosos, etc.
Al margen de estos enterramientos conocidos, dos recientes trabajos de prospección geofísica en el entorno de los dólmenes de La Pastora y Montelirio han sacado a la luz lo que podrían ser varias decenas más de posibles enterramientos, algunos de ellos de entidad considerable.
Ante este panorama nos planteamos en esta ocasión profundizar sobre la existencia de un modelo de organización espacial de la necrópolis, que atiende a aspectos tipológicos, formales y de contenido, y que son el reflejo de una sociedad profundamente jerarquizada cuyo grado de complejidad es capaz de justificar y construir un espacio funerario donde su estructura socio-económica quede expresada.
Para la consecución de este fin hemos diseñado una estrategia que pasa por la construcción de un Sistema de Información Geográfica en donde toda la información de las estructuras de enterramiento, tanto a nivel cartográfico como alfanumérico, se ha registrado para poder realizar consultas complejas a los datos y realizar geoprocesamiento con las geometrías de cara a dilucidar ciertos aspectos espaciales.
El estudio incluye la elaboración de algunos Índices Geoestadísticos para corroborar los resultados obtenidos del análisis y explotación de los datos almacenados en la Base de Datos de nuestro Sistema.

"En este póster se presentan los enterramientos en Cuevas Artificiales documentados hasta la fecha en el yacimiento de Valencina (Sevilla): c/ Dinamarca 3-5, El Algarrobillo y La Huera.
Se trata de enterramientos de iguales características que los que vienen apareciendo a lo largo de todo el Valle del Guadalquivir, pero que en esta ocasión coexisten en la misma necrópolis con otras tipologías de tumbas del III milenio a.n.e. como son los grandes dólmenes bajo túmulo y los tholoi.

This poster presents the artificial caves burials documented to date in the site of Valencina (Sevilla): c / Dinamarca 3-5, El Algarrobillo and La Huera.
These burials, with the same characteristics as those who are appearing all over the Guadalquivir Valley, coexist in the same necropolis with other types of tombs of the third millennium BC such as large dolmens under mound and tholoi."

Activity patterns at large prehistoric sites are often difficult to interpret, as they frequently combine productive, domestic and funerary components. Valencina, the largest of the Copper Age mega-sites in Iberia, has proved particularly challenging in this regard. Macrolithic tool assemblages have been generally neglected in these debates but can provide specific insight into the nature and patterning of activities. In this study, 185 grinding tools from seven separate excavations across this 450 ha mega-site were subjected to multiple lines of analysis including quantification, morphology, raw material, use-wear and depositional context. A surprising feature of this assemblage is the high degree of fragmentation, with more than half of the items representing less than 25% of the original artefact and only a small minority of them (< 10%) complete. The absence of intact quernstones is particularly striking. The results indicate a ritualization of deposition at Valencina, and throw new light on the interpretation of this complex site. Furthermore, they emphasize the central role that grinding technology should play in future discussion of European prehistoric mega-sites.

"The great site of Valencina de la Concepción-Castilleja de Guzmán, near Seville in the lower Guadalquivir valley of southwest Spain, is presented in the context of debate about the nature of Copper Age society in southern Iberia as a whole. Many aspects of the layout, use, character and development of Valencina remain unclear, just as there are major unresolved questions about the kind of society represented there and in southern Iberia, from the late fourth to the late third millennium cal BC. This paper discusses 178 radiocarbon dates, from 17 excavated sectors within the c. 450 ha site, making it the best dated in later Iberian prehistory as a whole. Dates are modelled in a Bayesian statistical framework. The resulting formal date estimates provide the basis for both a new epistemological approach to the site and a much more detailed narrative of its development than previously available. Beginning in the 32nd century cal BC, a long-lasting tradition of simple, mainly collective and often successive burial was established at the site. Mud-vaulted tholoi appear to belong to the 29th or 28th centuries cal BC; large stone-vaulted tholoi such as La Pastora appear to date later in the sequence. There is plenty of evidence for a wide range of other activity, but no clear sign of permanent, large-scale residence or public buildings or spaces. Results in general support a model of increasingly competitive but ultimately unstable social relations, through various phases of emergence, social competition, display and hierarchisation, and eventual decline, over a period of c. 900 years."

The results of the first phase of the General Research Project are presented in which various archaeological activities have been carried out: geophysical prospecting by magnetometry, remote sensing prospecting by thermal imaging, radiocarbon and thermoluminescence dating, and analysis of ceramic materials and fauna.
This preliminary results have served to consolidate our hypothesis that Valencina is a settlement with ditches of the III millennium A.N.E. which is configured as a permanent habitat.
The contribution made with the geophysical prospecting about the framework and sequence of the possible enclosures is particularly
noteworthy.

Se presentan los resultados de la primera anualidad del Proyecto General de Investigación en el que se han llevado a cabo diversas actividades arqueológicas: prospección geofísica por magnetometría, prospección por teledetección mediante imágenes térmicas, dataciones radiocarbónicas y por termoluminiscencia, y análisis de materiales cerámicos y de fauna.
Todo ello ha servido para consolidar la hipótesis que manejamos sobre que Valencina es un asentamiento con fosos del III milenio A.N.E. que se
configura como un hábitat estable.
Es destacable especialemente la contribución aportada con la prospección geofísica acerca del entramado y secuencia de los posibles recintos de fosos del asentamiento.