Published January 14, 2015
| Version v1
Publication
New evidence on the spatial organisation of the Valencina de la Concepción Copper Age settlement: the geophysics between La Pastora and Montelirio
Description
The major Copper Age settlement of Valencina de la
Concepción has been the subject of research interest over
more than a century. The history of previous investigations
at the site has resulted in a heterogeneous archaeological
record that is particularly diffi cult and that displays
signifi cant gaps and problems. In this paper, we
present the results of a geophysical survey carried out in
December 2004 between the La Pastora and Montelirio
sectors of this site in response to a proposed road development
that was never put into practice, and which revealed
several previously unknown features. These data
are assessed in the light of the results obtained from the
excavation carried out between 2007 and 2008 at the
immediately adjacent sector of PP4-Montelirio, currently
under study by us, where several dozen prehistoric features
(both, non-megalithic and megalithic, funerary and
non-funerary), were found. Altogether, this new evidence
makes a signifi cant contribution to the spatial interpretation
of the Valencina de la Concepción site, particularly
as they convey the fi rst-ever cartography of a large area
of this settlement. From this evidence, a discussion is
made concerning the density and diversity of the features
identifi ed both between La Pastora and Montelirio as well as at the PP4-Montelirio sector, their potential patterns
and sequence. This raises questions regarding the traditional
separation of the site into 'settlement' and 'necropolis'
areas and contributes more generally to a better
understanding of the spatial organisation of this large
prehistoric settlement.
Additional details
Identifiers
- URL
- https://idus.us.es/handle/11441/17684
- URN
- urn:oai:idus.us.es:11441/17684