Ideas sobre transformaciones en las dinámicas de utilización de cementerios neolíticos y calcolíticos del sur de Portugal. Las dataciones radiocarbónicas de la cueva de Lugar do Canto (Santarém)

Bibliographic Data

ID21130945
AuthorsAntónio Faustino Carvalho (0000-0002-0912-2325, University of Algarve), João Luís Cardoso (0000-0001-8432-1052, University of Algarve, corresponding author)
Year2014
Issue24
Pages35-53
Publication date2014-01-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSPAL Revista de Prehistoria y Arqueología de la Universidad de Sevilla (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1133-4525 • E-ISSN: 2255-3924
PublisherEditorial Universidad de Sevilla (PUBLISHER • ES)
DOI10.12795/spal.2015i24.02
OpenAlexW1570443379
LanguageES
Citations received7
References cited7

Lugar do Canto Cave is one of the most relevant Neolithic burial caves in Portugal given not only its extraordinary preservation conditions at the time of discovery but also the quality of the field record obtained during excavation. Its material culture immediately pointed to a Middle Neolithic cemetery but recent radiocarbon determinations also allowed the recognition of an apparent two step phasing of its use within the period (ca. 4000-3400 cal BC): an older one characterized by a single burial and a later reoccupation as a collective necropolis. Comparisons with other well-dated cave cemeteries in Southern Portugal permitted the recognition of changing funerary practices and strategies of cemetery use during the later stages of the Neolithic and the Chalcolithic: 1) ca. 3800 cal BC as the possible turning point from the practice of individual to collective burials; 2) alternating periods of intensive use and deliberate abandonment of cemeteries (evidenced by their intentional closure). Research avenues to investigate the social organization and ideological context underlying these aspects of the Neolithic communities in greater depth are tentatively pointed out in this paper

Art · Humanities · Archaeological and Geological Studies · Archaeological and Historical Studies · Archaeology and Cultural Heritage

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access