Palaeovegetation and plant-resource management in the district of La Loma (Jaén, Spain)

2012

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-13 SAGVNTVM

PAPELES DEL LABORATORIO DE ARQUEOLOGÍADE VALENCIA

EXTRA-13

2012

FACULTAT DE GEOGRAFIA I HISTÒRIA

Departament de Prehistòria i d’Arqueologia

WOOD AND CHARCOALEVIDENCE FOR HUMAN AND NATURAL HISTORY

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ERNESTINA BADAL – YOLANDA CARRIÓN – MIGUEL MACÍAS – MARÍA NTINOU

(COORDINATORS)

SAGVNTVM-Extra 1, C. Aranegui (ed.), Los Íberos, principes de Occidente. Las estructuras de poder en la sociedad ibérica, Barcelona 1998 (Agotado).

SAGVNTVM-Extra 2, J. Bernabeu, T. Orozco (eds.), II Congrés del Neolític a la Península Ibèrica, València 1999.

SAGVNTVM-Extra 3, C. Mata, G. Pérez Jordà (eds.), Íbers. Agricultors, artesans i ramaders. III Reunió sobre Economia en el mon ibèric, València 2000.

SAGVNTVM-Extra 4, C. Aranegui (ed.), Lixus. Colonia fenicia y ciudad púnico-mauritana. Apuntes sobre la ocupación medieval, València 2001.

SAGVNTVM-Exra 5, E. Badal, J. Bernabeu, B. Martí (eds.), El paisaje en el Neolítico Mediterráneo. Neolithic Landscapes of the Mediterranean, València 2002.

SAGVNTVM-Extra 6, C. Aranegui (ed.), Lixus-2. Ladera Sur. Excavaciones arqueológicas marroco-españolas en la colonia fenicia. Campañas 2000-2003, València 2005.

SAGVNTVM-Extra 7, M. Kbiri Alaoui, Revisando Kuass (Assilah, Marruecos). Taller cerámico y enclave fenicio, púnico y mauritano, València 2007.

SAGVNTVM-Extra 8, C. Aranegui, H. Hassini (eds.), Lixus-3. Área suroeste del sector monumental [Cámaras Montalbán] 2005-2009, València 2010.

SAGVNTVM-Extra 9, C. Mata, G. Pérez Jordà, J. Vives (eds.), De la cuina a la taula. IV Reunió d’Economia en el primer mil·leni a.C., València 2010.

SAGVNTVM-Extra 10, C. Gómez Bellard, E. Díes Cusí, V. Marí. Tres paisajes ibicencos: un estudio arqueológico, València 2011.

SAGVNTVM-Extra 11, E. Badal, Y. Carrión, E. Grau, M. Macías, M. Ntinou (eds.), 5th International Meeting of Charcoal Analysis. The Charcoal as Cultural and Biological Heritage, València 2011.

SAGVNTVM-Extra 12, J. Bernabeu, M.A. Rojo, LL. Molina (coords.), Las Primeras Producciones Cerámicas: el VI Milenio cal AC en la Península Ibérica, València 2011.

SAGVNTVM-Extra 13, E. Badal, Y. Carrión, M. Macías, M. Ntinou (eds.), Wood and charcoal. Evidences for human and natural history, València 2012.

SAGVNTVMPAPELES DEL LABORATORIO DE ARQUEOLOGÍA DE VALENCIA

EXTRA – 13

2012

Wood and charcoalEvidence for human and natural History

Ernestina Badal, Yolanda Carrión, Miguel Macías, María Ntinou(Coordinators)

Departament de Prehistòria i Arqueologia

Title: Wood and charcoal. Evidence for human and natural HistorySeries: SAGVNTVM Extra

Coordinators:Ernestina Badal Yolanda Carrión Miguel MacíasMaría Ntinou

Information and exchanges:Departament de Prehistòria i d’ArqueologiaFacultat de Geografia i HistòriaBlasco Ibáñez 28 – Valencia 46010 (España)Fax [email protected]

All titles of this series are available from:Sevei de PublicacionsUniversitat de València (PUV)C/ Arts Gràfiques, 13, 46010 Valè[email protected]

Published by: UNIVERSITAT DE VALÈNCIADepartament de Prehistòria i Arqueologia de la Facultad de Geografía i Història.Funded by MINISTERIO DE CIENCIA E INNOVACIÓN.

Book with international referee system

Design and layout by Coordinators.Printed by La Imprenta.

Print I.S.B.N.: 978-84-370-9062-7 Online I.S.B.N: 978-84-370-9061-0

Print Legal deposit:Online Legal deposit:

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CONTENTS

List of authors .................................................................................................................................................................... 7

ErnEstina Badal, Yolanda Carrión, MiguEl MaCías, María ntinouIntroduction ....................................................................................................................................................................... 11

ErnEstina Badal, ValEntín VillaVErdE, João ZilhãoMiddle Paleolithic wood charcoal from three southern Iberian sites: biogeographic implications .................................. 13

PatriCia diogo MontEiro, lYdia ZaPata, nuno BiChoWood charcoal analyses from the Muge shell middens: results from samples of the 2010/2011excavations at Cabeco da Amoreira (Santarem, Portugal) ................................................................................................. 25

ElEni asoutiRethinking human impact on prehistoric vegetation in Southwest Asia: long-term fuel/timberacquisition strategies at Neolithic Çatalhöyük ................................................................................................................... 33

Maria ntinou, gEorgia stratouliCharcoal analysis at Drakaina Cave, Kephalonia, Ionian islands, Greece. A case study of aspecialized Late Neolithic and Chalcolithic site ................................................................................................................ 43

tiM M. sChroEdtEr, roBErt hofMann, nils MullEr-sChEEssEl, JohannEs MullEr, oliVEr nEllELate Neolithic vegetation around three sites in the Visoko basin, Bosnia, based onarchaeo-anthracology – spatial variation versus selective wood use ................................................................................. 53

alExa dufraissEFirewood and woodland management in their social, economic and ecological dimensions.New perspectives ............................................................................................................................................................... 65

ErnEstina Badal, BErnat Martí oliVEr, ManuEl PérEZ-riPollFrom agricultural to pastoral use: changes in neolithic landscape at Cova de l’Or (Alicante, Spain) .............................. 75

raquEl Piqué, sílVia Vila MorEiras, natàlia alonsoChanges in vegetation and fuel use from the Neolithic to the Middle Ages in the western Catalan plain ........................ 85

Mª oliVa rodríguEZ-ariZaPalaeovegetation and plant-resource management in the district of La Loma (Jaen, Spain) duringrecent Prehistory ................................................................................................................................................................ 97

isaBEl figuEiral, laurEnt faBrE, ChristoPhE tardYCharcoal analysis in the A750-A75 motorway (Clermont l’Herault / Saint Andre de Sangonis- Beziers, southern France): a case-study in Preventive Archaeology ............................................................................... 105

luCiE ChaBal, isaBEl figuEiral, ChristoPhE PEllECuEr, iouri BErMondEvidence of paleogeographic constraints on woodlands on the shores of a coastal lagoonduring Antiquity: charcoal analysis of the Pres-Bas villa and Le Bourbou (Loupian, Herault) ........................................ 115

ErnEstina Badal, Yolanda Carrión MarCo, JEsús f. JordáCharcoal analysis at the San Chuis hill fort (Allande, Asturias, Spain) ............................................................................ 125

María Martín-sEiJo, Yolanda Carrión MarCoShaping wood: woodworking during the Iron Age and Roman period in the northwest of theIberian peninsula ................................................................................................................................................................ 135

Yolanda Carrión MarCo, JaiME ViVEs-fErrándiZ sánChEZ, guillErMo tortaJada CoMEChE,hElEna BonEt rosadoThe role of wood and fire in a ritual context in an iberian oppidum: La Bastida de les Alcusses(Moixent, Valencia, Spain)................................................................................................................................................. 145

sonia dE haro PoZo, aMParo BarraChina Charcoal analysis of a burnt building at the Iron Age site of Los Morrones I, Cortes de Arenoso,Castellón, Spain ................................................................................................................................................................. 153

andrés tEira Brión, María Martín sEiJo, arturo dE loMBEra-hErMida, raMón fáBrEgasValCarCE, xosé PEdro rodríguEZ-álVarEZForest resource management during Roman and Medieval cave occupations in the Northwest of theIberian Peninsula: Cova do Xato and Cova Eirós (Galicia, Spain) ................................................................................... 159

Maria litYnska-ZaJaCForest plant remains from the Late Pre-Roman and Roman Iron Age in Poland .............................................................. 167

CharlenE BouChaud, roMain thoMas, MargarEta tEngBErgOptimal use of the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) during Antiquity: anatomical identification ofplant remains from Mada’in Salih (Saudi Arabia) ............................................................................................................. 173

giaMPiEro Colaianni, franCEsCo sCElZa, girolaMo fiorEntino, angEla Pontrandolfo, alfonsosantoriEllo, daniEla orriCoThe use of wooden linings in the archaic wells of Fratte (Salerno-Italy) .......................................................................... 187

angEla stEllati, girolaMo fiorEntino, raffaElla Cassano, CustodE silVio fioriElloThe last firewood of a late ancient limekiln in Egnatia (SE Italy) ..................................................................................... 193

ValEntina CaraCuta, girolaMo fiorEntinoWood for fuel in Roman hypocaust baths: new data from the Late-Roman villa of Faragola (SE Italy) .......................... 199

anna Maria grasso, girolaMo fiorEntino, gioVanni straniEriBrick in the wall: an archaeobotanical approach to the analysis of dry stone structures (Puglia – Italy) ......................... 209

MiChEllE ElliottAn anthracological approach to understanding Late Classic period cultural collapse in Mesoamerica’snorthwestern frontier ........................................................................................................................................................ 217

MóniCa ruiZ-alonso, agustín aZkaratE, José luis solaun, lYdia ZaPataExploitation of fuelwood in Gasteiz (Basque Country, northern Iberia) during the Middle Ages(700-1200 AD) ................................................................................................................................................................... 227

CarME CuBEro i CorPasShrubs and trees from medieval l’Esquerda (7th-13th centuries AD) ............................................................................... 237

thoMas ludEMannAirborne laser scanning of historical wood charcoal production sites – A new tool of kiln siteanthracology at the landscape level ................................................................................................................................... 247

gina faraCo BianChini, rita sChEEl-YBErtPlants in a funerary context at the Jabuticabeira-II shellmound (Santa Catarina, Brazil) – easting or ritual offerings? ................................................................................................................................................. 253

WErnEr h. sChoChInformation content of Anthracology ................................................................................................................................. 259

arnE PaYsEnCharcoal research before modern Anthracology ................................................................................................................ 269

EllEn o’Carroll, frasEr J.g. MitChEllCharcoal sample guidelines: new methodological approaches towards the quantification andidentification of charcoal samples retrieved from archaeological sites ............................................................................. 275

María solEdad garCía MartínEZ, alExa dufraissECorrection factors on archaeological wood diameter estimation ....................................................................................... 283

ingElisE stuiJts, lorna o’donnEll, susan lYonsCloud-computing in Anthracology – Experiences with the WODAN online database in Ireland .................................... 291

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LIST OF AUTHORS

natàlia ALONSODpt. de Història. Universitat de Lleida. 25003. Lleida, [email protected]

ElEni ASOUTIDepartment of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology, University of Liverpool. Brownlow Street, L69 3GS Liverpool, [email protected]

agustín AZKARATEUniversity of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). Tomás y Valiente s/n. 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, [email protected]

ErnEstina BADALDepartment of Prehistory and Archaeology. University of Valencia. Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 28, 46010 Valencia, [email protected]

aMParo BARRACHINAServicio de Arqueología de la Diputación de Castellón. Av. Hermanos Bou, 28 12003 Castellón, Spain. [email protected]

iouri BERMONDUMR 5140 Archeologie des Societes Mediterraneennes. DRAC Languedoc-Roussillon. Service Regional de l’Archeologie. 5 rue de la Salle-L’Évêque. CS 49020. 34967 Montpellier cedex 2, [email protected]

nuno BICHOUniversidade do Algarve, Faculdade de Ciências Humanas e Sociais, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal. [email protected]

hElEna BONET ROSADOServicio de Investigación Prehistórica, Museo de Prehistoria, Diputación de Valencia, C/Corona 36, 46003, Valencia, Spain. [email protected]

CharlenE BOUCHAUDUMR 7209, Archeozoologie, Archeobotanique. Societes, Pratiques, Environnements (Museum national d’histoire naturelle). 55, rue Buffon 75005 Paris, [email protected]

ValEntina CARACUTALaboratory of Archaeobotany and Palaeoecology (L.A.P.). University of Salento-Lecce. Via Birago 64, 73100, Lecce. Italy. Department of Human Science. University of Foggia. Via Arpi, 71100, Foggia. Italy. [email protected]

Yolanda CARRIÓN MARCODepartment of Prehistory and Archaeology. University of Valencia. Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 28, 46010 Valencia, [email protected]

raffaElla CASSANODepartment of Antiquity, University of Bari, Italy. [email protected]

luCiE CHABALCBAE UMR 5059 CNRS Univ. Montpellier 2 EPHE. Institut de Botanique. 163 rue A. Broussonnet. 34090 Montpellier, [email protected]

giaMPiEro COLAIANNILaboratory of Archaeobotany and Palaeoecology. University of Salento. Via Dalmazio Birago 64, 73100 Lecce, [email protected]

CarME CUBERO I CORPASMuseu Arqueològic de l’Esquerda. 08510 Roda de Ter, [email protected]

sonia DE HARO POZOCl. Enseñanza, 11, 12001 Castellón, Spain. [email protected]

arturo DE LOMBERA-HERMIDAGrupo de Estudos para a Prehistoria do NW Iberico (GEPN). Departamento de Historia I. USC. 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES), C/ Marcel·lí Domingo s/n Campus Sescelades URV (Edifici W3) 43007, Tarragona, Spain. Area de Prehistoria, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Av. Catalunya 35, Tarragona 43002, [email protected]

PatríCia DIOGO MONTEIRONúcleo de Arqueologia e Paleoecologia da Universidade do Algarve. Faculdade de Ciências Humanas e Sociais da

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[email protected] Maria GRASSOLaboratory of Archaeobotany and Palaeoecology, Università del Salento, 73100 Lecce, [email protected]

roBErt HOFMANNGraduate School “Human Development in Landscapes”, Christian-Albrecht-University (CAU) D-24098 Kiel, Germany.Institute for Pre- and Protohistoric Archaeology CAU, D-24098 Kiel, [email protected]

JEsús F. JORDÁDpto. de Prehistoria y Arqueología. UNED. 28040 Madrid, [email protected]

Maria LITYŃSKA-ZAJĄCInstitute of Archaeology and Ethnology Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow Branch, Sławkowska 17, 31-016 Kraków, [email protected]

thoMas LUDEMANNUniversity of Freiburg, Faculty of Biology, Dept. of Geobotany. Schaenzlestrasse 1, D-79104 Freiburg, [email protected]

susan LYONSDepartment of Archaeology, University College Cork, Cork, [email protected]

BErnat MARTÍ OLIVERMuseu de Prehistòria de València-SIP. C. de la Corona 32, 46003 València, [email protected]

María MARTÍN-SEIJOGEPN-Grupo de Estudos para a Prehistoria do Noroeste Iberico. Dpto. Historia I. Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Praza da Universidade s/n. 15782, Santiago de Compostela, [email protected]

frasEr J.G. MITCHELLBotany Department, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, [email protected]

JohannEs MÜLLERGraduate School “Human Development in Landscapes”, Christian-Albrecht-University (CAU) D-24098 Kiel, Germany.Institute for Pre- and Protohistoric Archaeology CAU, D-24098 Kiel, Germany.

Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, [email protected]

alExa DUFRAISSECNRS, UMR 7209 “Archeozoologie, archeobotanique”, 55 rue buffon 75005 Paris, [email protected]

MiChEllE ELLIOTTUMR 8096 “Archeologies des Ameriques”, CNRS. Maison Rene Ginouvès. 21, allee de l’Universite. F-92023 Nanterre Cedex, [email protected]

laurEnt FABRE INRAP Mediterranee, 561 Rue Etienne Lenoir, Km Delta, 30900 Nîmes, France Thau agglo, Jardin antique Mediterraneen, Rue des Pioch, 34540 Balaruc les Bains, FranceCBAE, CNRS /Univ. Montpellier 2/EPHE, Montpellier, [email protected]

raMón FÁBREGAS VALCARCEGrupo de Estudos para a Prehistoria do NW Iberico (GEPN). Departamento de Historia I. USC. 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain. [email protected]

gina FARACO BIANCHINIDepartamento de Antropologia, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. Quinta da Boa Vista, 20940-040, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. [email protected]

isaBEl FIGUEIRALINRAP Mediterranee, 561 rue Etienne Lenoir, km Delta, 30900 Nîmes, France.CBAE UMR 5059 CNRS Univ. Montpellier 2 EPHE. Institut de Botanique. 163 rue A. Broussonnet. 34090 Montpellier, [email protected]

CustodE silVio FIORIELLODepartment of Antiquity, University of Bari, Italy. [email protected]

girolaMo FIORENTINOLaboratory of Archaeobotany and Palaeoecology (L.A.P.). University of Salento-Lecce. Via Birago 64, 73100, Lecce. [email protected]

María solEdad GARCÍA MARTÍNEZDepartamento de Prehistoria, Arqueología, Historia Antigua, Historia Medieval y Ciencias y Tecnicas Historiográficas, Facultad de Letras, Universidad de Murcia. C/ Santo Cristo, 1. 30001-Murcia, Spain.

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xosé PEdro RODRÍGUEZ-ÁLVAREZInstitut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES), C/ Marcel·lí Domingo s/n Campus Sescelades URV (Edifici W3) 43007, Tarragona, Spain.Area de Prehistoria, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Av. Catalunya 35, Tarragona 43002, [email protected]

Mª oliVa RODRÍGUEZ-ARIZAInstituto Universitario de Arqueología Iberica. Universidad de Jaen. Edif. C-6, 23071 Jaen, [email protected]

MóniCa RUIZ-ALONSOGrupo de Investigación Arqueobiología (CCHS, CSIC). Albasanz, 26-28. 28037 Madrid, [email protected]

alfonso SANTORIELLOLaboratory of Archaeology “M. Napoli”, University of Salerno. Via Ponte don Melillo, 84084 Fisciano (Salerno), [email protected]

franCEsCo SCELZALaboratory of Archaeology “M. Napoli”, University of Salerno. Via Ponte don Melillo, 84084 Fisciano (Salerno), [email protected]

rita SCHEEL-YBERTDepartamento de Antropologia, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. Quinta da Boa Vista, 20940-040, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. [email protected]

WErnEr h. SCHOCHLabor für quartäre Hölzer, Unterrütistrasse 17, 8135 Langnau a. A. [email protected]

tiM M. SCHROEDTERGraduate School “Human Development in Landscapes”, Christian-Albrecht-University (CAU) D-24098 Kiel, Germany.Institute for Ecosystem Research CAU, D-24098 Kiel, [email protected]

José luis SOLAUNUniversity of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). Tomás y Valiente s/n. 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.. [email protected]

angEla STELLATILaboratory of Archaeobotany and Palaeoecology, Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Salento, via D. Birago 64, 73100 Lecce.Department of Antiquity, University of Bari, Italy.

[email protected] MÜLLER-SCHEESSELRoman-Germanic Commission, Plamgartenstr. 10-12, 60325 Frankfurt a.M., [email protected]

oliVEr NELLEInstitute for Ecosystem Research CAU, D-24098 Kiel, [email protected]

Maria NTINOUHellenic Open University, Aggelou Sikelianou 2, GR – 452 21 Ioannina, [email protected]

EllEn OCARROLLBotany Department, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, [email protected]

lorna O’DONNELL14 Rockstown Park, Tooban, Burnfoot, County Donegal, [email protected]

daniEla ORRICOLaboratory of Archaeology “M. Napoli”, University of Salerno. Via Ponte don Melillo, 84084 Fisciano (Salerno), [email protected]

arnE PAYSENInstitut für Ökosystemforschung der CAU Kiel, Olshausenstr. 75, 24118 Kiel, [email protected]

ChristoPhE PELLECUERUMR 5140 Archeologie des Societes Mediterraneennes. DRAC Languedoc-Roussillon. Service Regional de l’Archeologie. 5 rue de la Salle-L’Évêque. CS 49020. 34967 Montpellier cedex 2, [email protected]

ManuEl PÉREZ-RIPOLLDepartment of Prehistory and Archaeology. University of Valencia. Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 28, 46010 Valencia, [email protected]

raquEl PIQUÉDpt. de Prehistòria. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, [email protected]

angEla PONTRANDOLFOLaboratory of Archaeology “M. Napoli”, University of Salerno. Via Ponte don Melillo, 84084 Fisciano (Salerno), [email protected]

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Dynamiques des Systèmes Anthropises – 1 rue des Louvels 80037 Amiens cedex, [email protected]

guillErMo TORTAJADA COMECHEServicio de Investigación Prehistórica, Museo de Prehistoria, Diputación de Valencia, C/Corona 36, 46003, Valencia, [email protected]

sílVia VILA MOREIRASDpt. de Història. Universitat de Lleida. 25003 Lleida, [email protected]

ValEntín VILLAVERDEDepartment of Prehistory and Archaeology. University of Valencia. Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 28, 46010 Valencia, [email protected]

JaiME VIVES-FERRÁNDIZ SÁNCHEZServicio de Investigación Prehistórica, Museo de Prehistoria, Diputación de Valencia, C/Corona 36, 46003, Valencia, [email protected]

lYdia ZAPATAUniversity of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). Tomás y Valiente s/n. 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, [email protected]

João ZILHÃOICREA Research Professor at the University of Barcelona, [email protected]

[email protected]

gioVanni STRANIERICentre d’histoire et d’archeologie medievales - Universite Lumière Lyon 2, 69365 Lyon, France. [email protected]

gEorgia STRATOULIIZ΄ Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities, Aristotelous 16, GR – 582 00 Edessa, [email protected]

ingElisE STUIJTSDiscovery Programme, 63 Merrion Square, Dublin 2, [email protected]

ChristoPhE TARDYINRAP Mediterranee, 561 Rue Etienne Lenoir, Km Delta, 30900 Nîmes, [email protected]

andrés TEIRA BRIÓNGrupo de Estudos para a Prehistoria do NW Iberico (GEPN). Departamento de Historia I. USC. 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain. [email protected]

MargarEta TENGBERGUniversity of Paris 1, UMR 7209, Archeozoologie, Archeobotanique. Societes, Pratiques, Environnements (Museum national d’histoire naturelle). 55, rue Buffon 75005 Paris, [email protected]

roMain THOMASUniversite de Picardie Jules Verne. Ecologie et

Palaeovegetation and Plant-resource management in the district of la loma (Jaén, sPain) during recent

Prehistory

Instituto Universitario de Arqueología Ibérica. Universidad de Jaén. Edif. C-6, 23071 Jaén, Spain. [email protected]

Summary: The charcoal from two archaeological sites located in the district of La Loma (Jaén, Spain) and dated between the second half of the 4th and the first quarter of the 2nd millennium cal BC was studied. The results document the presence of thermophilous Holm oak woodland with elements indicating a humid environment during the 4th and 3rd millennia. Since the beginning of the 2nd millennium, the tree cover was lost, partially due to aridification of the climate as well as due to human activity in the environment, using fire to open fields for cultivation and pastures for livestock grazing. In the Bronze Age levels, species used for the construction of huts were identified.

Key words: Charcoal analysis, Late Neolithic, Copper Age, Bronze Age, Andalusia.

Mª OLIVA RODRÍGUEZ-ARIZA

WOOD AND CHARCOAL. EVIDENCE FOR HUMAN AND NATURAL HISTORY. SAGVNTVM EXTRA-13, 2012: 97–104. 97

SETTING AND BIOGEOGRAPHY

The studied sites are situated in the district of La Loma, in the province of Jaén (Spain), within the Riv-er Guadalquivir Depression, which occupies a large part of Andalusia. This district, equidistant between the mountain systems of Sierra Morena to the North, Sierra Mágina to the South and the Sierras of Cazorla-Segura to the East with the West remaining open to oceanic influence, has a slightly elevated relief over the Guadalquivir Valley. In turn, this elevation is bor-dered by River Guadalimar to the North and Guad-alquivir to the South. The landscape is an undulating

succession of low hills worked in Tertiary sediments (Fig. 1).

The surroundings of the cities of Ubeda and Baeza belong to the lower mesomediterranean bioclimatic level with a Ti (thermicity index) of 333 and a dry ombroclimate (P 350-600, P=precipitations) (Rivas Martínez 1987). The dominant vegetation series is the Holm Oak (Quercus rotundifolia), Paeonio coriaceae-Querceto rotundifoliae S., in its thermophilous facia-tion with Pistacia lentiscus (Rivas Martínez 1987; Valle Tendero 2004). Currently, the area is occupied by olive cultivation with natural vegetation persist-ing only at isolated points inaccessible to grazing and

mª oliva rodríguez-ariza

WOOD AND CHARCOAL. EVIDENCE FOR HUMAN AND NATURAL HISTORY. SAGVNTVM EXTRA-13, 2012.98

Las Eras del Alcázar was dated by 34 14C dates. The results indicate an uninterrupted sequence from the second quarter of the 4th millennium cal BC to the first quarter of the second millennium BC (Lizcano et al. 2009).

For the diagram constructed and the conclusions drawn, the charcoal was grouped according to the chronological-cultural sequence defined for each site. In the Eras del Alcázar of Úbeda, three time periods were defined. The first period, c. 3500-2500 BC, dates between the Late Neolithic and the Middle Copper Age and its urban plan is distinguished by circular dwellings excavated in the soil with rammed-earth walls of adobe and plant material. The second peri-od, c. 2200-2000 BC, is ascribed to the Late Copper Age, with beaker pottery and free-standing dwellings on the ground. Finally, the third period, c. 2000-1700 BC is ascribed to the Bronze Age and the urban pat-tern changes to rectangular dwellings (Lizcano et al. 2009).

Only 11 km away lays Cerro del Alcázar, situated within the city centre of Baeza. This forms a spur on the southern end of the city, surrounded by steep natu-ral slopes that make the site a strategic enclave for the control of the Guadalquivir valley. Radiocarbon dates from the site were obtained from 8 organic samples, 5 of them dated by conventional 14C and three by the AMS technique. The results reveal long occupation from the middle of the 3rd millennium BC until the present, although abandonment levels exist that mark a hiatus corresponding to the 1st millennium BC. Thus, chronological data together with the information gath-ered through excavation, in particular the construction patterns of the dwellings enabled the determination of 4 broad phases of occupation, which span from 2000 to 1500 cal BC. All four phases present similar charac-teristics in the construction system of the rooms within rectangular dwellings, and in the materials used for the habitation floors.

Thus, by pooling the data from the two settlements and taking into account the scheme of period divi-sions proposed by the heads of both archaeological

ploughing. The supramediterranean and oromediterra-nean levels are found in the mountain massifs of Sier-ra Mágina and the Sierras of Cazorla-Segura (Fig. 1).

THE SITES

The archaeological site of Las Eras del Alcázar is located in the southern part of the city centre of Úbeda, on a spur surrounded by rocky outcrops, slopes and fortified structures that, since prehistoric times, have made it a suitable defensive zone. The extent of the settlement is difficult to estimate due to the scant exca-vations carried out in the area. However, the evidence from prehistoric levels of the 2nd millennium cal BC found in salvage archaeological work in other parts of the city centre of Úbeda suggests a surface area of more than 6 ha.

Figure 1. Map showing the location of the settlements and the vege-tation of the zone.

Palaeovegetation and Plant-resource management in the district of la loma (Jaén, sPain) during recent Prehistory

WOOD AND CHARCOAL. EVIDENCE FOR HUMAN AND NATURAL HISTORY. SAGVNTVM EXTRA-13, 2012. 99

points. Although a substantial volume of charcoal was recovered enabling us to evaluate the early phases, for the Bronze Age levels we were able to analyse only 26 charcoal fragments (Fig. 2; Table 1).

In the case of Cerro del Alcázar de Baeza, the char-coal came primarily from manual collection, although a systematic sampling was also carried out, taking a constant volume of sediment (3 to 5 litres), which was increased where necessary. In this way, a total of 309 litres were floated divided among 58 samples; of these, 35 contained charcoal, but only 28 were large enough to be determined. However, carpological re-mains were recovered in most of the samples (Montes 2011). At this site, in the four construction phases de-fined for the Bronze Age (Pérez and Lizcano 2003), sufficient charcoal was found only in Phases II and III, while only 12 fragments were analysed for Phase IV and none for Phase I (Fig. 2; Table 1).

studies, we can define three periods: the first, corre-sponding to the time-span from the Late Neolithic to the Early/Middle Copper Age (c. 3500-2500 cal BC); the second, situated in the Recent-Beaker Copper Age (c. 2200-2000 cal BC), and the third belonging to the Bronze Age (c. 2000-1500 cal BC), when the settle-ments were contemporary (Lizcano et al. 2009). Both the first two phases were documented in Las Eras del Alcázar (Úbeda).

METHODOLOGY

In Andalusia, the collection of plant samples for bio-archaeological analysis started late, therefore ar-chaeological sampling was undertaken only at certain points or did not take into account the entire volume of sediment processed. This is the case of Las Eras del Alcázar, where samples were collected only at certain

Figure 2. Anthracological diagram of the district of Loma (Jaén, Spain).



phases of the above-mentioned sites, Peñalosa includ-ed (Rodríguez-Ariza 2011).

A closer examination of the floristic list of each of the settlements studied, shows that18 taxa were deter-mined in Eras del Alcázar de Úbeda, and 13 in Cerro de Alcázar de Baeza, denoting a possible loss of floris-tic diversity. Notable among the taxa that disappeared are deciduous Quercus and Quercus faginea implying lower environmental moisture, while the disappear-ance of Phillyrea and the decline of Pistacia lentiscus would indicate slightly colder conditions. In counter-point, during the Bronze Age, Retama appeared while Rosmarinus officinalis slightly increased. These char-acteristics imply a trend towards aridification that oc-curred during the Bronze Age and could correspond to the general pattern documented for the Western Mediterranean from the Middle Holocene onwards (Carrión et al. 2010).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

PALAEO-ECOLOGICAL RESULTS AND MAN-AGEMENT OF THE PLANT ENVIRONMENT

The floristic list provided by the analysis of char-coal is composed by 21 taxa. However, if we elimi-nate the two taxa that can be encompassed by others, namely Pinus sp., which could belong to P. halepensis and Quercus sp., which could belong to deciduous Quercus, Q. ilex-coccifera or Q. suber, the number is reduced to 19. This number is slightly below the number of taxa determined at nearby sites, such as Polideportivo de Martos and Marroquíes Bajos, which have an overall floristic list of 22 taxa. However, the number of taxa identified for each chronological-cul-tural period varies from 10 to 14 taxa, falling within the range of 12-20 taxa that are found in the different

Table 1. Absolute and relative frequencies of the taxa determined in the district of Loma (Jaén, Spain).



of the natural vegetation by the effect of agricultural intensification at this time, in a double sense: on the one hand, with the increase of cultivated species (Mon-tes, 2011) and, on the other, with the possible increase of cultivated surface, as mentioned above. Moreover, harsher climatic conditions are indicated by the dis-appearance of the most thermophilous species while the size of the cultivated cereal grain progressively diminished (Montes 2011), implying a lower degree of moisture during the Bronze Age. In addition, the increase in the presence of ovicaprine livestock is sig-nificant in the last phase of Eras del Alcázar de Úbeda, coinciding with the presence of the pig (Riquelme 2009), thus confirming the progressive disappearance of the Holm oak woodland.

Although the general pattern of floristic evolution coincides with the palynological analysis carried out at these sites (Fuentes et al. 2007), there is no agree-ment concerning the main taxon determined. Based on palynology, the main taxon would have been Pinus while charcoal dating pointed to Quercus ilex-coccif-era. This discrepancy can be reconciled by the fact that palynology reflects mainly the vegetation of the nearby sierras, such as Segura-Cazorla to the East and Sierra Mágina to the South, whereas Loma de Úbeda, situated in the zone immediately below, is open to the winds that deposit the pollen in the surrounding sier-ras. Moreover, charcoal analysis reflects the vegeta-tion of the surroundings closest to the settlements, in-troduced by the inhabitants.

USE OF WOOD

At Cerro del Alcázar de Baeza, the existence of sev-eral construction phases with fire levels (Pérez and Lizcano 2003) enabled us to retrieve, from tumble, 9 fragments of squared charcoal, with dimensions of ap-proximately 2.5 x 4 cm, identified as Q. ilex-coccifera, except for one that belonged to P. halepensis (Fig. 3). These fragments may belong to joists that were placed over a framework of beams of Q. ilex-coccifera, of which we have identified fragments together with

The anthracological diagram (Fig. 2) reflects the predominance of Quercus ilex-coccifera vegetation, with percentages of 40 to 80%. It bears noting that at the levels where Quercus ilex-coccifera declines, Pinus halepensis augments, although the percentages are far lower (Fig. 2). This trend in the percentages, with a significant increase of Pinus halepensis from 1% in the final phase of the Neolithic and the Early Copper Age to 18.64% in the Recent Copper Age may reflect an opening of the plant environment composed of Holm oak woodland for the creation of new culti-vated fields. Such activities would have favoured the presence of Pinus halepensis. This same pattern would have continued during Phase II of Cerro del Alcázar de Baeza, where deciduous Quercus also disappeared, indicating that at the beginning of the Argaric culture, new land continued to be occupied as were the valley floors where these Quercus would have found refuge. It is possible that in these zones with rich, moist soils, cultivated areas were established for fava beans. Dur-ing this time because of the effect of irrigation these crops underwent relative size increases, whereas in the subsequent stage (Recent Copper Age) the seeds were smaller than during the Late Neolithic/Early-Middle Copper Age (Montes 2011) due to the progressive harshening of the climate.

A similar process of abrupt and significant emer-gence of P. halepensis was documented in the Copper Age site of Marroquíes Bajos, practically dating to the same period (Rodríguez-Ariza 2011). This suggests that the area would have undergone successive fires set to eliminate the woody vegetation and to open pas-tures for the livestock, in such a way that the Aleppo pine, an opportunistic, drought-resistant and heliophi-lous species, took advantage of the situation and colo-nized the zone.

However, in the second period of the Bronze Age (Phase III of Cerro del Alcázar de Baeza), all the taxa diminished in percentage, including P. halepensis, which remained at 1%, except for the significant ad-vance of the level of Quercus ilex-coccifera and Olea europea. This possibly indicates the impoverishment



MARCO, Y.; LÓPEZ-MERINO, L.; LÓPEZ-SÁEZ, J.A.; FIERRO, E.; BURJACHS, F. (2010): Expected trends and surprises in the Latergalcial and Holocene vegetation history of the Iberian Peninsula and Bal-earic Islands. Review of Palaebotany and Palynology 162 Issue 3, 458-475.

FUENTES, N.; CARRIÓN, J.S.; NOCETE, F.; LIZCANO, R.; PÉREZ, C. (2007): Análisis polínico de los yacimientos arqueológicos Cerro del Alcázar de Baeza y Eras del Alcázar de Úbeda (Jaén). Anales de Biología 29, 85-93.

LIZCANO, L.; NOCETE, F.; PERAMO, A. (coords.) (2009): Las Eras: Proyecto de Puesta en Valor y Uso Social del Patrimonio Arqueológico de Úbeda (Jaén). Huelva. Editorial Universidad de Huelva.

MONTES, E. (2011): Agricultura del III y II milenio ANE en la comarca de la Loma (Jaén): los datos carpológ-icos de Las Eras del Alcázar (Úbeda) y Cerro del Alcázar (Baeza). Menga 02, 87-107.

PÉREZ, C.; LIZCANO, R. (2003): Intervención arqueológ-ica puntual en el Cerro del Alcázar de Baeza (Jaén). Memoria Inédita.

RIVAS-MARTÍNEZ, S. (1987): Memoria del mapa de Se-ries de vegetación de España 1:400.000. ICONA, Madrid.

RIQUELME, J.A. (2009): Análisis arqueozoológico de mamíferos. In: R. Lizcano, F. Nocete, A. Peramo eds. Las Eras. Proyecto de puesta en valor y uso so-cial del patrimonio arqueológico de Úbeda (Jaén). Huelva University Press, Huelva, 167–201.

RODRIGUEZ-ARIZA, M.O. (1992): Human-plant rela-tionships during the Copper and Bronze Ages in the Baza and Guadix Basins (Granada, Spain). Bulletin de la Société Botanique de France 139, Actualites botaniques (2/3/4), 451-464.

RODRÍGUEZ-ARIZA, M.O. (2000): El análisis antra-cológico de Peñalosa. In: F. Contreras Cortés coord. Proyecto Peñalosa. Análisis histórico de las co-munidades de la Edad del Bronce del Piedemonte meridional de Sierra Moren y Depresión Linares-Bailén, Arqueología Monografías, Junta de Anda-

clay from the ceiling or the walls of the huts. In one case, we detected insect bore holes, indicating that this wood, before being burnt had lasted for a long period after being cut.

A sample from Phase II, mainly of fine branches from the collapse of the roof, is composed by Retama sp., Cistus sp., Arbutus unedo, Quercus ilex-coccifera, and Leguminosae. Moreover, in Phase III, another sample of small branches proved to be Rosmarinus of-ficinalis and Arbutus unedo.

Therefore, we may suggest that the structure of the roofs would have been similar to that of other Arga-ric settlements of south-eastern Spain (Rodríguez-Ariza 2012), such as Castellón Alto, Fuente Amarga, Loma de la Balunca (Rodríguez-Ariza 1992), El Cas-tillejo de Gador (Rodríguez-Ariza 2001) or Peñalosa (Rodríguez-Ariza 2000), the one closest to the study area. Such roof structure would have been formed by a framework of beams using the above-mentioned species, which would have been connected to posts. Over this framework of beams, smaller rafters would have been placed perpendicularly to support abundant small branches over which a layer of mud would be spread.

REFERENCES

CARRIÓN, J.S.; FERNÁNDEZ, S.; GONZÁLEZ-SAMPÉRIZ, P.; GIL-ROMERA, G.; BADAL, E.; CARRIÓN-

Figure 3. Fragments of squared-off charcoal.



RODRÍGUEZ-ARIZA, M.O. (2012): The use of wood in Argaric settlements of the south-eastern Iberian pe-ninsula. IV International Meeting of Anthracology, Brussels, 8-13 September.

VALLE TENDERO, F. (coord.) (2004): Datos botánicos aplicados a la gestión del Medio Natural Andaluz II: Series de Vegetación. Junta de Andalucía. Conse-jería de Medio Ambiente, Sevilla.

lucía, Granada, 257-272.RODRÍGUEZ-ARIZA, M.O. (2001): Análisis antracológico

de El Castillejo de Gador (Almería). In: B. Gómez, M.A. Respaldiza, M.L. Pardo eds. III Congreso Na-cional de Arqueometría, Sevilla, 173-182.

RODRÍGUEZ-ARIZA, M.O. (2011): Evolución y uso de la vegetación durante la Prehistoria en el Alto Gua-dalquivir. Menga 02, 34-57.

2012

SAG

VN

TVM

-EX

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-13 SAGVNTVM

PAPELES DEL LABORATORIO DE ARQUEOLOGÍADE VALENCIA

EXTRA-13

2012

FACULTAT DE GEOGRAFIA I HISTÒRIA

Departament de Prehistòria i d’Arqueologia

WOOD AND CHARCOALEVIDENCE FOR HUMAN AND NATURAL HISTORY

WO

OD

AN

D C

HA

RC

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ERNESTINA BADAL – YOLANDA CARRIÓN – MIGUEL MACÍAS – MARÍA NTINOU

(EDITORS)

SAGVNTVM-Extra 1, C. Aranegui (ed.), Los Íberos, principes de Occidente. Las estructuras de poder en la sociedad ibérica, Barcelona 1998 (Agotado).

SAGVNTVM-Extra 2, J. Bernabeu, T. Orozco (eds.), II Congrés del Neolític a la Península Ibèrica, València 1999.

SAGVNTVM-Extra 3, C. Mata, G. Pérez Jordà (eds.), Íbers. Agricultors, artesans i ramaders. III Reunió sobre Economia en el mon ibèric, València 2000.

SAGVNTVM-Extra 4, C. Aranegui (ed.), Lixus. Colonia fenicia y ciudad púnico-mauritana. Apuntes sobre la ocupación medieval, València 2001.

SAGVNTVM-Exra 5, E. Badal, J. Bernabeu, B. Martí (eds.), El paisaje en el Neolítico Mediterráneo. Neolithic Landscapes of the Mediterranean, València 2002.

SAGVNTVM-Extra 6, C. Aranegui (ed.), Lixus-2. Ladera Sur. Excavaciones arqueológicas marroco-españolas en la colonia fenicia. Campañas 2000-2003, València 2005.

SAGVNTVM-Extra 7, M. Kbiri Alaoui, Revisando Kuass (Assilah, Marruecos). Taller cerámico y enclave fenicio, púnico y mauritano, València 2007.

SAGVNTVM-Extra 8, C. Aranegui, H. Hassini (eds.), Lixus-3. Área suroeste del sector monumental [Cámaras Montalbán] 2005-2009, València 2010.

SAGVNTVM-Extra 9, C. Mata, G. Pérez Jordà, J. Vives (eds.), De la cuina a la taula. IV Reunió d’Economia en el primer mil·leni a.C., València 2010.

SAGVNTVM-Extra 10, C. Gómez Bellard, E. Díes Cusí, V. Marí. Tres paisajes ibicencos: un estudio arqueológico, València 2011.

SAGVNTVM-Extra 11, E. Badal, Y. Carrión, E. Grau, M. Macías, M. Ntinou (eds.), 5th International Meeting of Charcoal Analysis. The Charcoal as Cultural and Biological Heritage, València 2011.

SAGVNTVM-Extra 12, J. Bernabeu, M.A. Rojo, LL. Molina (coords.), Las Primeras Producciones Cerámicas: el VI Milenio cal AC en la Península Ibérica, València 2011.

SAGVNTVM-Extra 13, E. Badal, Y. Carrión, M. Macías, M. Ntinou (eds.), Wood and charcoal. Evidences for human and natural history, València 2012.

Palaeovegetation and plant-resource management in the district of La Loma (Jaén, Spain)

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