Paisajes megalíticos en contextoel papel de la litología en la construcción de arquitecturas funerarias en el Guadiana medio

Abstract

Landscape context has been traditionally ignored in the megalithic studies of Southwestern Iberia. Archaeological research has mainly been focused on architectural typologies and material culture analysis. Nowadays, the application of new non-invasive techniques, such as LiDAR data and photointerpretation, shows a richer and more varied archaeological record than expected where the landscape plays a key role in tomb builders’ occupation dynamics. The analysis of lithology in relation to the megalithic landscape will allow us to understand how Neolithic societies of Southwest Iberia took advantage of local and foreign resources, both for understanding these architectures’ construction and for a long-lasting settlement in landscape. Thus, the study of megalithic tombs in landscape will allow us to make a first approach of the occupation dynamics of the middle Guadiana River basin between the 5th and 3rd millennium cal BC. Besides, it will allow us to use those geological references that identify the relationship between human groups and nature through the selection of large stones that make up their most emblematic architectures.