As above, so below: Deposition, modification, and reutilization of human remains at Marmoles cave (Cueva de los Marmoles: Southern Spain, 4000-1000 cal. BCE).
The deposition and manipulation of human remains in natural caves are well known for the Neolithic of Southern Iberia. The cultural meaning of these practices is however still largely unclear. Cueva de los Marmoles (CM, Priego-Córdoba) is one of the most important cave contexts from Southern Spain,...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2023-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0291152 |
| _version_ | 1827807247301869568 |
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| author | Zita Laffranchi Marco Milella Juan Carlos Vera Rodríguez María José Martínez Fernández María Dolores Bretones García Sylvia Alejandra Jiménez Brobeil Julia Brünig Inmaculada López Flores Juan Antonio Cámara Serrano Rafael M Martínez Sánchez |
| author_facet | Zita Laffranchi Marco Milella Juan Carlos Vera Rodríguez María José Martínez Fernández María Dolores Bretones García Sylvia Alejandra Jiménez Brobeil Julia Brünig Inmaculada López Flores Juan Antonio Cámara Serrano Rafael M Martínez Sánchez |
| author_sort | Zita Laffranchi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The deposition and manipulation of human remains in natural caves are well known for the Neolithic of Southern Iberia. The cultural meaning of these practices is however still largely unclear. Cueva de los Marmoles (CM, Priego-Córdoba) is one of the most important cave contexts from Southern Spain, which returned a large number of commingled skeletal remains suggesting its funerary use from the Neolithic to the Late Bronze Age. Here we discuss CM from a chronological and cultural perspective based on new radiocarbon, anthropological, and taphonomic analyses. These include the estimation of the minimum number of individuals, the exploration of fragmentation patterns characterizing different skeletal regions, and the macroscopic and microscopic analysis of modifications to the remains of possible anthropic origin. Radiocarbon data point to a funerary use of CM between the 5th -2nd millennium cal. BCE. MNI estimates reveal the presence of at least 12 individuals (seven adults and five nonadults). The low representation of elements from hands and feet suggests that individuals were placed in the cave while partially decomposed. Anthropic traces on the remains (e.g. fresh fractures, marrow canal modifications, and scraping marks) hint at their intentional fragmentation, cleaning from residual soft tissues, and in some cases reutilization. These practices are well-exemplified by the recovery of one "skull cup" and of two long bones used as tools. These data align with those from other cave contexts from the same geographic region, suggesting the presence, especially during the Neolithic period, of shared ideologies centered on the human body. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T21:53:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-51da21b1b6a442bda39cd34f5564ae7a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T21:53:36Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-51da21b1b6a442bda39cd34f5564ae7a2023-09-26T05:31:40ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032023-01-01189e029115210.1371/journal.pone.0291152As above, so below: Deposition, modification, and reutilization of human remains at Marmoles cave (Cueva de los Marmoles: Southern Spain, 4000-1000 cal. BCE).Zita LaffranchiMarco MilellaJuan Carlos Vera RodríguezMaría José Martínez FernándezMaría Dolores Bretones GarcíaSylvia Alejandra Jiménez BrobeilJulia BrünigInmaculada López FloresJuan Antonio Cámara SerranoRafael M Martínez SánchezThe deposition and manipulation of human remains in natural caves are well known for the Neolithic of Southern Iberia. The cultural meaning of these practices is however still largely unclear. Cueva de los Marmoles (CM, Priego-Córdoba) is one of the most important cave contexts from Southern Spain, which returned a large number of commingled skeletal remains suggesting its funerary use from the Neolithic to the Late Bronze Age. Here we discuss CM from a chronological and cultural perspective based on new radiocarbon, anthropological, and taphonomic analyses. These include the estimation of the minimum number of individuals, the exploration of fragmentation patterns characterizing different skeletal regions, and the macroscopic and microscopic analysis of modifications to the remains of possible anthropic origin. Radiocarbon data point to a funerary use of CM between the 5th -2nd millennium cal. BCE. MNI estimates reveal the presence of at least 12 individuals (seven adults and five nonadults). The low representation of elements from hands and feet suggests that individuals were placed in the cave while partially decomposed. Anthropic traces on the remains (e.g. fresh fractures, marrow canal modifications, and scraping marks) hint at their intentional fragmentation, cleaning from residual soft tissues, and in some cases reutilization. These practices are well-exemplified by the recovery of one "skull cup" and of two long bones used as tools. These data align with those from other cave contexts from the same geographic region, suggesting the presence, especially during the Neolithic period, of shared ideologies centered on the human body.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0291152 |
| spellingShingle | Zita Laffranchi Marco Milella Juan Carlos Vera Rodríguez María José Martínez Fernández María Dolores Bretones García Sylvia Alejandra Jiménez Brobeil Julia Brünig Inmaculada López Flores Juan Antonio Cámara Serrano Rafael M Martínez Sánchez As above, so below: Deposition, modification, and reutilization of human remains at Marmoles cave (Cueva de los Marmoles: Southern Spain, 4000-1000 cal. BCE). PLoS ONE |
| title | As above, so below: Deposition, modification, and reutilization of human remains at Marmoles cave (Cueva de los Marmoles: Southern Spain, 4000-1000 cal. BCE). |
| title_full | As above, so below: Deposition, modification, and reutilization of human remains at Marmoles cave (Cueva de los Marmoles: Southern Spain, 4000-1000 cal. BCE). |
| title_fullStr | As above, so below: Deposition, modification, and reutilization of human remains at Marmoles cave (Cueva de los Marmoles: Southern Spain, 4000-1000 cal. BCE). |
| title_full_unstemmed | As above, so below: Deposition, modification, and reutilization of human remains at Marmoles cave (Cueva de los Marmoles: Southern Spain, 4000-1000 cal. BCE). |
| title_short | As above, so below: Deposition, modification, and reutilization of human remains at Marmoles cave (Cueva de los Marmoles: Southern Spain, 4000-1000 cal. BCE). |
| title_sort | as above so below deposition modification and reutilization of human remains at marmoles cave cueva de los marmoles southern spain 4000 1000 cal bce |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0291152 |
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