Breves reflexiones en torno a los "juguetes prehistóricos" como herramienta pedagógica

Los juguetes son una herramienta de aprendizaje durante toda nuestra etapa infantil, desde los muñecos de los inicios, hasta los primeros juegos de ordenador con los que nos enfrentamos. La Prehistoria ha sido muchas veces un marco ideal en el que se han inspirado los fabricantes para crear sus juguetes. No obstante, la gran mayoría no cumple con la otra función clave que debe ir ligada al juego infantil, el aprendizaje. Dinosaurios, ausencia de mujeres y hombres presentados como cazadores compulsivos es el día a día de los juguetes infantiles que transmiten desde la primera edad, una idea errónea de la Prehistoria y la Arqueología.Les joguines són una eina d'aprenentatge durant la nostra etapa infanil, des de els ninots dels inicis, fins als primers jocs computaritzats amb els que ens enfrentem. La Prehistòria moltes vegades ha estat el marc ideal en el que s'han inspirat els fabricants per a crear les seves joguines. No obsant, la majoria no cumpleix amb l'altre funció clan que ha d'anar lligada al joc infantil, l'aprenantatge. Dinosaures, absència de dones y homes presentats com a cazadors compulsius és el día a día de les juguines infantils que transmeten des de la primera edad, una idea errònia de la Prehistòria i l'Arqueologia

Una "nueva Arqueología" per a un "nuevo Estado" , o la mort de l'Escola Catalana d'Arqueologia i el naixement de l'Arqueologia franquista (1939-1955)

A partir de l'any 1939, amb la configuració d'un nou Estat arrel de la victòria franquista, neix també una Arqueologia franquista que trencarà amb l'Escola Catalana d'Arqueologia. En aquest treball s'analitzen la fi d'aquesta escola, el procés de configuració d'una nova Arqueologia amb marc teòric i preguntes històriques diferents, i la implantació d'un nou sistema de gestió del que té a veure amb el passat fins el 1955, per part de les autoritats feixistes.From the year 1939, with the congguration on a new State due to Franco's victory, a franquist Archaeology was born and the tradition of the Catalan School of Archaeology was eliminated.The process of setting of a new Archaeology with different historical and theoretical questions,and the introduction of a new management system of everything that has to do with the past until 1955 by fascist authorities, is analyzed in this paper

La Prehistoria que nos rodea y la falsificación del pasado

Comunicació presentada a la Sessió 10 : "Los tópicos en arquología. Reflexiones en torno a la mitificaciónLa visión que la sociedad adquiere de la Prehistoria no siempre procede de canales divulgativos asesorados por especialistas. Esa imagen colectiva se adquiere poco a poco de la información que se extrae de aspectos cotidianos como el cine, la literatura, la publicidad y de otras muchas facetas que nos rodean en nuestro día a día y que nada tienen que ver con una idea pedagógica o divulgativa pero que acaban distorsionando este periodo de la historia. En este trabajo analizamos brevemente algunas de estas facetas cotidianas que generan una visión irreal de la Prehistoria.The vision that society have in general on Prehistory, most of the times do not come from exhibitions or publications developed by experts. The collective image of the Prehistory most of the times come from the Cinema, the Literature, the commercial spots and other aspects that surrounds us in our quatidianity and nothing has to do with a pedagogic or divulgative idea, but the end in the distortion of this History period. In the present paper we analyze some of this daily aspects that generate a false vision of Prehistory

Hominin-carnivore interaction during the pleistocene: development of new methods for the study of human behavior through a transdisciplinary and evolutionary approach

La present Tesi Doctoral versa sobre l’estudi de la interacció entre hominins i carnívors durant el Pleistocé. L’objectiu principal de la recerca és utilitzar aquesta interacció per a entendre i recuperar arqueològicament el comportament humà modern i complex. En aquest sentit, les diferents formes d’interacció que els humans varen desenvolupar en el passat amb els grans carnívors és analitzada mitjançant diferents enfocs i mètodes. Tot això, presentat com a una Tesi per compendi d’articles científics publicats, proporciona una visió general de la complexa relació entre hominins i carnívors durant el Pleistocé, així com una proposta metodològica per a recuperar arqueològicament el comportament humà. Les formes d’interacció analitzades, ja sigui mitjançant una aproximació experimental, actualita o arqueològica són: a) l’alternança en l’ús de les coves com a hàbitat; b) la cacera de carnívors; c) l’ús dels carnívors coma recurs àmpli; d) els hominins coma víctimes d’atacs de carnívor i e) la domesticació, així com les consequències que cada forma d’interacció implica (p.ex., accès primàri o secundàri a les carcasses animals o els hominins com a pressa dels carnívors). A nivell històric, la Tesi Doctoral aporta una visió original sobre l’evolució de la interacció entre hominins i carnívors del PaleolíticMitjà al Superior, així comla idea de com de complexe i constant és aquesta interacció i el que implica en l’evolució humana. Els diferents materials arqueològics analitzats per a la present investigació provenen de diferents jaciments de l’Europa Occidental (Espanya, França, Bèlgica, Alemanya i Grècia).La presente Tesis Doctoral versa sobre el estudio de la interacción entre homininos y carnívoros durante el Pleistoceno. El objetivo principal de la investigación es usar dicha interacción para comprender y recuperar arqueológicamente el comportamiento humano moderno y complejo. En este sentido, las diferentes formas de interacción que los humanos desarrollaron en el pasado con los grandes carnívoros es analizada a través de distintos enfoques ymétodos. Todo ello, presentado como una Tesis por compendio de artículos científicos publicados, proporciona una visión general de la compleja relación entre homininos y carnívoros durante el Pleistoceno, así como una propuesta metodológica para recuperar arqueológicamente el comportamiento humano. Las formas de interacción analizadas, ya sea mediante una aproximación experimental, actualista o arqueológica son: a) la alternancia en el uso de las cuevas como hábitat; b) la caza de carnívoros; c) el uso de los carnívoros como recurso amplio; d) los homininos como víctimas de los ataques de carnívoro y e) la domesticación, así como las consecuencias que cada forma de interacción implica (p.ej., acceso primario o secundario a las carcasas animales o los homininos como presa de los carnívoros). A nivel histórico, la presente Tesis Doctoral aporta una visión original sobre la evolución de la interacción entre homininos y carnívoros del Paleolítico Medio al Superior, así como la idea de cuán compleja es esta constante relación y lo que implica en la evolución humana. Los diferentes materiales arqueológicos analizados para esta investigación proceden de diferentes yacimientos de Europa Occidental (España, Francia, Bélgica, Alemania y Grecia).The aim of this Doctoral Thesis is to study the interaction between hominins and carnivores during the Pleistocene. The main research objective is to use this interaction to understand and recover modern and complex behavior from archaeological data. In this sense, several forms of past hominin-carnivore interaction are approached from different scopes and using different methods. This is presented as a Dissertation consisting of published scientific papers, to provide a general vision of the complex relation developed between hominins and carnivores during the Pleistocene. A further aim is to build a methodological framework for recovering human behavior from the archaeological record. The forms of interaction analyzed, using experimental, actualistic, and archaeological approaches, are: a) alternate use of caves; b) carnivore hunting; c) carnivores as a resource for hominins; d) hominins as victims of carnivore attacks; and e) domestication, and all consequences this form of interaction generates (e.g., primary or secondary access to animal carcasses, or hominins as carnivore prey). From a historical standpoint, this Dissertation provides an original vision of the evolution of the interaction between hominins and carnivores from the Middle to the Upper Paleolithic, and develops the idea of how complex and important this interaction is concerning human evolution. The different archaeological materials analyzed for the present research were discovered at different sites in Western Europe (Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, and Greece)

Visualizing childhood in Upper Palaeolithic societies: Experimental and archaeological approach to artists? age estimation through cave art hand stencils

This paper presents rock art as a collective action in which different strata of society took part, including children and subadults. Until recent decades archaeology of childhood has not been in the main focus of the archaeological research, much less the participation of those children in the artistic activity. The present study approaches the palaeodemography of artists in the decorated caves through the paleolithic rock art itself. The approximate age of these individuals has been calculated through the biometric analysis of hand stencils in the caves of Fuente del Salín, Castillo, La Garma, Maltravieso and Fuente del Trucho, using 3D photogrammetric models as reference. The results have been compared with a modern reference population in order to assign the Palaeolithic hands to certain age groups. It has been demonstrated the presence of hand stencil motifs belongs to infants, children and juveniles, revealing this stratum?s importance in the artistic activity.The present study has been conducted as part of the research project “Before art: social investment in symbolic expressions during the Upper Palaeolithic (B-Art)” (PID 2019-107262 GB-I00), funded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (MCIN/ AEI /10.13039/501100011033), PI: Diego Garate. This study is also a part of the research project “From the Mind to the Wall: Tracing Sign Language in Palæolithic Hand Stencils (MIND2WALL)” (ANR-21-CE27-0005), funded by the French Ministry of Culture, PI: Aritz Irurtzun

Large carnivore attacks on hominins during the Pleistocene: a forensic approach with a Neanderthal example

Interaction between hominins and carnivores has been common and constant through human evolution and generated mutual pressures similar to those present in worldwide modern human-carnivore conflicts. This current interaction is sometimes violent and can be reflected in permanent skeletal pathologies and other bone modifications. In the present paper, we carry out a survey of 124 forensic cases of dangerous human-carnivore encounters. The objective is to infer direct hominin-carnivore confrontation during the Pleistocene, which is important to understand behavioral changes during human evolution. In addition, the case of Neanderthals is analyzed in order to find evidence of past attacks using forensic observations. The results obtained pose that Neanderthals could potentially have been involved in dangerous encounters during the Pleistocene, validating our methodology to approach past attacks from a forensic perspective

Zoonotic parasite infection from a funerary context: A Late Antique child case from Cantabrian Spain

Supplementary data associated with this article can be found in the online version at doi:10.1016/j.ijpp.2023.03.003Objective: To evaluate the presence of Dicrocoelium sp. in a child from a Late Antique funerary context from Cantabrian Spain and discuss whether the infection is true infection or pseudoparasitosis. Materials: Four skeletons, including one from a 5–7 year old child, have been analysed from the archaeological site of El Convent ́on, dated between the sixth and seventh centuries AD. Methods: The paleoparasitological study was conducted through the analysis of soil samples from different parts of the skeleton and funerary context using the rehydration, homogenization, and micro-sieving method, and visualized through brightfield microscopy. Results: A soil sample from the pelvic region tested positive for Dicrocoelium sp. (possibly D. dendriticum). Conclusions: The child was infected with Dicrocoelium dendriticum, which based on archaeological and historical contexts may be related to hygiene or dietary behaviour. Significance: We present one of the few cases of the identification of a Dicrocoelidae parasite directly associated with a human skeleton that provides historical knowledge of a zoonotic disease. Limitations: The diagnosis of a zoonosis through the identification of ancient parasites is complex. In addition, Dicrocoelium sp. in association with skeletal human remains is rare due to the potential low prevalence of this parasite. Suggestions for Further Research: Highlight the importance of paleoparasitological analysis to link parasitic infection diseases with socioeconomic issues by using funerary contexts with skeletal remains.European Union’s Horizon 2020 the Marie Skłodowska-Curie TRAUMOBITA 89571

Two cases of cystic echinococcosis reported from al-Andalus cemeteries (southern Iberia): Insights into zoonotic diseases in Islamic Medieval Europe

The identification of a calcified hydatid cyst in the bioarcheological record is key to the diagnosis of cystic echinococcosis (i.e., hydatid disease), a parasitic infection caused by the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus. This zoonosis can be linked to human–canid interactions, given the reproductive cycle of the parasite (from canids to herbivores/ humans as intermediate hosts), and it is commonly associated with agropastoral com- munities in both the past and present. However, it is not easy to identify a calcified hydatid cyst in the archeological record because of preservation problems and its simi- larity with other calcifications of biological and geological origin. We report the pres- ence of two fragmented ovoidal calcified formations associated with human remains in different medieval Islamic cemeteries from the Kingdom of Granada in al-Andalus (Southern Iberia, 13th–15th centuries AD). These formations were analyzed by scan- ning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The localization, morphology, and composition of the calcifications indicate that they are hydatid cysts caused by E. granulosus, representing the first evidence of cystic echinococcosis in Islamic Medieval Europe. Our results are in line with archeological and historical records of human–animal interactions and agropastoral practices in al-Andalus, and they high- light the importance of analyzing calcified masses in the osteoarcheological record.Health and Diet in Populations From Southeast of al-Andalus, Grant/Award Number: PID2019-107654-GB-100; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion´. Universidad de Granada; CBU

Metodología de excavación y análisis de concheros : experiencias acumuladas después de 20 años de estudios etnoarqueológicos en la Costa Norte del Canal Beagle (Tierra del Fuego, Argentina)

Los estudios etnoarqueológicos llevados a cabo en yacimientos Yámana de la costa norte del Canal Beagle (Tierra del Fuego, Argentina), han permitido desarrollar una metodología de excavación y análisis de concheros potencialmente aplicable en yacimientos similares de la Península Ibérica. El estudio de los restos malacológicos integrando diferentes técnicas de análisis, permite obtener un reflejo detallado sobre las dinámicas de formación de estos yacimientos y las estrategias organizativas de los grupos de cazadores recolectores pescadores que los generaron.The ethonoarchaeological studies of the Yamana sites from the north coast of the Beagle Channel (Tierra del Fuego, Argentina), has allowed us to develop a particular excavation methodology and a shellmidden analysis method potentially applicable to similar sites from the Iberian Peninsula. The study of mollusc remains, integrating different analytic techniques, permits us to obtain detailed information about the site formation and the organization strategies of the hunter-gatherers-fishers that generated shellmiddens in the area