Scholarlink

<p>Escoural Cave, in Portugal’s Alentejo region, provides pivotal chronological evidence for Neolithic mortuary activity in southwestern Iberia. We present new radiocarbon dates on human bone from Escoural alongside published dates from other funerary monuments, establishing a robust framework that situates cave burials within a diverse mortuary landscape. Results show that Escoural was used contemporaneously with dolmens, tholoi, hypogea, burial pits, and other caves, underscoring the coexistence of multiple forms of mortuary expression. Beyond refining the Neolithic timeline, reassessment of Escoural highlights the interpretive potential of legacy collections: the richness of its ceramic assemblage, associated bone tools, and environmental context raise new questions about craft specialization, gendered roles, and the interplay of ritual and technology. Together, these findings demonstrate both the importance of absolute dating and the broader value of revisiting older collections to illuminate social and cultural dynamics in the Neolithic.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Escoural cave and neolithic mortuary chronology: radiocarbon evidence for funerary diversity in Southern Portugal

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月21日

查看全文
  • Rita Peyroteo-Stjerna,
  • César Neves,
  • Raquel Granja,
  • David Gonçalves,
  • Ana Cristina Araújo

摘要

Escoural Cave, in Portugal’s Alentejo region, provides pivotal chronological evidence for Neolithic mortuary activity in southwestern Iberia. We present new radiocarbon dates on human bone from Escoural alongside published dates from other funerary monuments, establishing a robust framework that situates cave burials within a diverse mortuary landscape. Results show that Escoural was used contemporaneously with dolmens, tholoi, hypogea, burial pits, and other caves, underscoring the coexistence of multiple forms of mortuary expression. Beyond refining the Neolithic timeline, reassessment of Escoural highlights the interpretive potential of legacy collections: the richness of its ceramic assemblage, associated bone tools, and environmental context raise new questions about craft specialization, gendered roles, and the interplay of ritual and technology. Together, these findings demonstrate both the importance of absolute dating and the broader value of revisiting older collections to illuminate social and cultural dynamics in the Neolithic.