The Copper Age in south-west Spain : a bioarchaeological approach to prehistoric social organisation
This research uses a bioarchaeological approach to explore social structure and social differences during the 3rd millennium BC in south-west Spain. The study tests the overall hypothesis that social differences are present at different sites during the 3rd millennium BC in south-west Spain using the following research questions: (1) are there social differences manifested in mortality, morbidity, diet and mobility patterns, and (2) what was the relationship between Copper Age social differences and funerary patterns? Specifically, this research uses osteological, biochemical, and paleopathological analyses in combination with the funerary context to reconstruct mortality, morbidity, dietary and mobility patterns of two human skeletal populations from the Copper Age (c. 3300-2100 cal BC). The fragmented skeletal collections derive from the Extremadura and Western Andalusia, specifically Tomb 3 at La Pijotilla (Solana de los Barros, Badajoz) (283,329 human bone and teeth fragments, MNI= 178), and from different sectors at Valencina-Castilleja (Seville) (MNI= 36), respectively. Data from previously excavated human remains at La Orden-El Seminario (Huelva) were also included. In total, bioarchaeological data
Diaz-Zorita-Bonilla, Marta
The Copper Age in south-west Spain : a bioarchaeological approach to prehistoric social organisation. This research uses a bioarchaeological approach to explore social structure and social differences during the 3rd millennium BC in south-west Spain. The study tests the overall hypothesis that social differences are present at different sites during the 3rd millennium BC in south-west Spain using the following research questions: (1) are there social differences manifested in mortality, morbidity, diet and mobility patterns, and (2) what was the relationship between Copper Age social differences and funerary patterns? Specifically, this research uses osteological, biochemical, and paleopathological analyses in combination with the funerary context to reconstruct mortality, morbidity, dietary and mobility patterns of two human skeletal populations from the Copper Age (c. 3300-2100 cal BC). The fragmented skeletal collections derive from the Extremadura and Western Andalusia, specifically Tomb 3 at La Pijotilla (Solana de los Barros, Badajoz) (283,329 human bone and teeth fragments, MNI= 178), and from different sectors at Valencina-Castilleja (Seville) (MNI= 36), respectively. Data from previously excavated human remains at La Orden-El Seminario (Huelva) were also included. In total, bioarchaeological data
copper_age south_west spain bioarchaeological prehistoric social_organisation bioarchaeological explore social_structure social difference south_west spain study test overall hypothesis social difference present different_site south_west spain use follow_question social difference manifest mortality_morbidity diet mobility_pattern relationship copper_age social difference funerary pattern specifically use osteological analysis combination funerary_context reconstruct mortality_morbidity dietary mobility_pattern human_skeletal population copper_age cal fragment skeletal_collection derive western specifically tomb person human_bone teeth fragment different sector respectively data previously_excavate human_remain also_include total bioarchaeological data