Massive Prehistoric Pit Sites in Southern Iberia

Challenges, Opportunities and Lessons Learned

Bibliographic Data

ID11446274
AuthorsMaría José Armenteros‐Lojo (0000-0002-8702-0260, Departamento de Ciencias Históricas, F. de Filosofía y Letras Universidad de Málaga Campus de Teatinos, s/n Málaga 29071 Spain), Víctor Jiménez-Jáimez (0000-0003-0534-8543, Departamento de Ciencias Históricas, F. de Filosofía y Letras Universidad de Málaga Campus de Teatinos, s/n Málaga 29071 Spain, corresponding author)
Year2024
Volume43
Issue1
Pages2-22
Publication date2024-02-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueOxford Journal of Archaeology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0262-5253 • E-ISSN: 1468-0092
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/ojoa.12286
OpenAlexW4390196625
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited21

Archaeological sites characterized by significant concentrations of pits (‘pit sites’) were widespread in prehistoric Europe. In southern Iberia, many pit sites date back to the Late Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods (fourth‐third millennia BCE), and often display massive numbers of pits. Deciphering the social, economic, and symbolic significance of such sites, composed of hundreds or even thousands of pits, holds deep historical implications. What do these pits mean, and how were they used? If they functioned as grain storage pits, as many believe, did they represent a substantial economic surplus? Unfortunately, many of these sites have been inadequately published and remain poorly known north of the Pyrenees. This paper aims to contribute to the broader understanding of prehistoric pit sites in Europe by providing an overview of southern Iberian pit sites, and of the debates that have developed around their interpretation

Archaeology · Bronze Age · Chalcolithic · Geography · Prehistory · Archaeological and Geological Studies · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies

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