BEAKER BARROWS (not) for the deadEl Alto I & III, Las Cuevas/El Morrón and La Perica (Soria, Spain).

  1. Rojo Guerra, Manuel Á.
  2. Garrido Pena, Rafael
  3. García-Martínez de Lagrán, Iñigo
  4. Tejedor Rodríguez, Cristina
Journal:
Cuadernos de Prehistoria y Arqueología de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (CuPAUAM)

ISSN: 0211-1608

Year of publication: 2014

Issue: 40

Pages: 31-40

Type: Article

DOI: 10.15366/CUPAUAM2014.40.002 DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openBiblos-e Archivo editor

More publications in: Cuadernos de Prehistoria y Arqueología de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (CuPAUAM)

Abstract

In this article we will discuss on a peculiar and interesting feature recently discovered in the archaeological record of Copper Age Bell Beakers in the Ambrona Valley (Soria, Spain), that is the existence of barrows which look like tombs but they were not. They even include valuable items (finely decorated pottery, gold jewellery) but no sign of human bones. This absence could not be explained by selective preservation of the materials, since those barrows are not located in acid soils, and faunal remains are usually found in other sites of the same area. We could interpret this special finds as the archaeological testimonies of eventual ceremonial activities, perhaps including commensality rituals (intentionally broken pots are found inside them), being the stone mound the commemoration in the landscape of those important events (a possible cenotaph evoking the death of someone important away from his hometown?) or places (the location of special features of the environment in their mythic geographies)

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Data source: Dialnet