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- The symbolic meaning of cattle and sheep/goat in the Bronze Age: Faunal inclusions in funerary contexts of South-Western IberiaPublication . Costa, Cláudia; Bettencourt, Ana M. S.; Senra, MartaThe inclusion of faunal remains in funerary practices is widely documented in Iberian prehistory. For the late prehistory (Neolithic to Bronze Age), there is relatively more data than in earlier periods, with limb segments being very common, and complete animals are rarer. In Bronze Age contexts from South-Western Iberia, a high percentage of human burials in subterranean chambers (hypogea) are associated with limb bones of cattle (Bos taurus) and sheep/goats (Ovis/Capra), along with other grave goods. Traditionally, this practice is interpreted as the result of rituals of commensality. In this paper, we present a different perspective. Besides commensality, we show that the inclusion of the same species and the same anatomical parts is a highly standardised behaviour. Beyond the tight connection between humans and animals, this pattern also points to a strong symbolism of these domestic species and to symbolic meaning of the anatomical parts themselves.
- Intensive resource exploitation in Late Neolithic Iberia: bone marrow and subsistence changes at Branqueiras, central-coastal PortugalPublication . Costa, Cláudia; Fernandes Martins, Maria João; Cardoso, Vera; Cardoso, Guilherme; Carvalho, António Manuel Faustino deThe exploitation of bone marrow has long been recognised as a vital component of past human subsistence strategies, particularly for its nutritional value. While this practice is well studied in hunter-gatherer societies and in communities facing harsh environmental conditions, it is less understood in prehistoric farming societies and temperate environments. This paper presents the results of bone marrow exploitation at the Late Neolithic short term site of Branqueiras, located in the temperate central-coastal region of Portugal. The faunal assemblage reveals a significant percentage of intentional long bone breakage for marrow extraction, a practice that appears to have been overlooked in earlier and later periods. The site’s short-term occupation, radiocarbon-dated to 2900–2700 cal BC, coincides with a hiatus at the nearby long-term settlement of Leceia and occurred during a period of climate change characterised by reduced rainfall, hot summers, and cold winters. This study provides key insights into human adaptation to climate stress within established farming communities, a topic often underexplored in Neolithic–Chalcolithic contexts. The authors propose that the Branqueiras community repre sents a shift in human behaviour, as itinerant groups adapted to arid conditions by intensively exploiting animal resources, including domestic caprines, swine, wild game, and molluscs, while agricultural practices and cattle herding declined. In this context, bone marrow became a crucial source of nutrients, playing a significant role in subsistence strategies during this challenging period Phenolic compounds.
- Faunal remains from torre velha 12 (Serpa, Beja, Southwest of Portugal): relationship between animals and bronze age communitiesPublication . Senra, Marta; Costa, Cláudia; Bettencourt, Ana M. S.; Baptista, Lídia; Gomes, SérgioTorre Velha 12 is located in Serpa (Beja) and was excavated and directed by two of the authors (LB and SG), during an emergency intervention within the Alqueva Project. This site is characterized by negative structures filled with pottery sherds and other materials dating to the 3rd and 2nd millennia BCE. The aim of this paper is to publish the study of the faunal remains dated from Bronze Age (2nd millennium BCE). The faunal assemblage is small and comes from non-funerary pits and from funerary hypogea. Other than a bone artefact and an undetermined shell fragment, all of the remains integrated in the pits were classified as mammals. Sheep/goat is was frequently found while other species such as cattle and swines had lower frequencies. Fragments of cattle limbs are the only faunal remains associated with human burials and reveal a clear taxonomical and anatomical pattern that may be an indicator of a careful and structured anthropogenic behavior. The aim of this paper is to understand the social relationship between animals and the Bronze Age communities.
- Analysis of organic residues in the context of the middle bronze age in the northwestern Iberian Peninsula: the case of the Cova da Moura funerary monument (Viana do Castelo, nw Portugal)Publication . Oliveira, Nuno; Oliveira, César; Bettencourt, Ana M. S.; Costa, CláudiaThis paper presents and discusses the results of chromatographic analyses conducted on the contents of a ceramic pot recovered from Cova da Moura, a coastal funerary context located on the western slope of the Serra de Santa Luzia in Carreço, within the municipality and district of Viana do Castelo, Northwest Portugal. The site was excavated in 1931 by Abel Viana, who uncovered a monument beneath a tumulus that concealed a cluster of granite outcrops with numerous cavities (tafoni). Depositional activities in these cavities revealed several artifacts, including fragments of various ceramic containers, metal and glass objects, knapped and polished stone tools, animal remains, a diverse assemblage of plant-derived charcoal, and at least one anthropomorphic stele. The materials exhibit a wide chronological range, with the earliest occupation dating from the Late Middle Bronze Age (circa 15th-14th century BCE) and the most recent from the Late Iron Age. Among these finds was a fragmented ceramic pot containing organic residues at its internal base, dated from the regional Bronze Age. Chromatographic analysis of these residues identified traces of animal meat, possibly from monogastric species, and plant oils, both of which appear to have been exposed to high temperatures. This study represents the first application of organic chemical analysis to a ceramic vessel from a plausible Middle Bronze Age funerary context in Northwestern Portugal. The findings suggest the presence of commensal rituals or the deposition of prepared meat offerings as part of funerary practices.