Identification of Ceramic Traditions on the Prehistoric Mines of Gavà (Barcelona, Spain)

Abstract

Abstract In recent years, studies focused on Chaîne Opératoire reconstruction of pottery vessels have shown important developments and provided new data related to vessel production and the complexities acquired by prehistoric societies. This research focuses on the pottery vessels discovered at the Mines Prehistóriques de Gavà (Barcelona, Spain), which constitute the earliest evidence of a mining center for variscite during the 4th millennium BC. The main objective of this study is to determine the technological procedures employed in the production of these potteries by identifying the Chaînes Opératoires and establishing their relationship to the site’s context, which is linked to extensive exchanges within the European network. Through a meticulous analysis and comparison of the morpho-typological and technological characteristics of the vessels, we aim to identify different production methods. The findings of this study, along with their reconstruction in techno-stylistic trees, contribute to a deeper understanding and explanation of the variability and technological complexity found in these pottery vessels. This work exposes a novel approach to studying the pottery vessels in Iberian Peninsula by involving the application of archaeometric techniques such as direct macroscopic and microscopic observation traces (using naked eyes; microscopic Dino – Lite), as well as chemical analyses such as petrographically and X-ray diffraction enabling the identification of key mineral components within the clay.