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<< News >> Scientific analysis sheds new light on neolithic slate plaques from SW Portugal

Submitted by Andy B on Tuesday, 01 April 2014  Page Views: 8215

Neolithic and Bronze AgeCountry: Portugal Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen

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Engraved plaques from the Iberian Peninsula
Engraved plaques from the Iberian Peninsula submitted by dodomad : a, Valencina de la Concepción, Sevilla, Spain (Museo Arqueológico de Sevilla [MAS]); b, S. Geraldo, Montemor-o-Novo, Évora, Portugal (Museo Nacional de Arqueologia de Portugal [MNAP]); c, Monsaraz, Reguengos de Monsaraz, Évora (MNAP); d, Mora, Évora (MNAP); e, Jabugo, Aracena, Huelva, Spain (MAS); f, Ciborro, Monte-o-Novo, Évora (MNAP); g, Marvão, Portalegre, Portugal (MNAP); h, Estremoz, �... (Vote or comment on this photo)
Symbolism in prehistoric culture has been the subject of much theoretical archaeology, yet methodological tools are rarely used to test these interpretations. This lack of testing is often justified by suggesting that the 'slippery' nature of past human symbolism cannot easily be tackled using the scientific method.

One such case, from the southwestern Iberian Peninsula, involves engraved stone plaques from megalithic tombs dated from 3500 to 2750 BC (calibrated age). One widely accepted theory is that the plaques are ancient mnemonic devices to record family genealogies. The new analysis from Daniel García Rivero and Michael J. O'Brien uses a tree-building computer program to perform a Phylogenetic reconstruction, looking for common ancestries in the data set. The results demonstrates that this popular genealogies hypothesis is not the case, even when the most supportive data and techniques are applied.

Rather, the authors of the paper suspect there was a common ideological background to the use of plaques that overlaid the southwestern Iberian Peninsula, with little or no geographic patterning. This would suggest a cultural system where plaque design was based on a fundamental core idea, with a number of variable elements surrounding it.

Read the paper at Plos One

Also explore the fascinating Esprit (Engraved Stone Plaque Registry and Inquiry Tool) database created by KT Lillios and collaborators - who are not connected with this research other than as the source of the data. The database contains information and images of over 1400 engraved stone plaques.

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"Scientific analysis sheds new light on neolithic slate plaques from SW Portugal" | Login/Create an Account | 5 News and Comments
  
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Re: Scientific analysis sheds new light on neolithic slate plaques from SW Portugal by Blingo_von_Trumpenstein on Thursday, 07 April 2016
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Fascinating stuff. Gives me a tingle to get so close to the mind of our ancestors. We get a further glimpse into the past...
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Scents and Sensibilities - Phenomenology of Late Neolithic Iberian Plaque Production by Andy B on Wednesday, 06 April 2016
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Scents and Sensibilities - The Phenomenology of Late Neolithic Iberian Slate Plaque Production - Jonathan T. Thomas

The engraved slate plaques of Late Neolithic (3500–2500 B.C.E.) Ibe-ria are some of the most enigmatic expressions of prehistoric European art,capturing the imagination of the public and archaeologists alike during thepast century. Thousands of these hand-size, perforated plaques have beenfound in Neolithic collective burials, and they are thought to have servedas mnemonic, prestigious, or ritual objects, perhaps for specific individuals.

Large numbers of plaques were initially experimentally replicated to answer questions related to the chaîne opératoire of their production. These experiments, however, also yielded valuable phenomenological information aboutthe sensory — the haptic, olfactory, auditory, visual, and even gustatory — experience of plaque making.

Some of the results of this research allow us to actually identify individual plaque makers in the archaeological record in certain cases and to better understand the emergence of organized craft produc-tion in early complex societies

https://www.academia.edu/1870721/Scents_and_Sensibilities_-_The_Phenomenology_of_Late_Neolithic_Iberian_Slate_Plaque_Production
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Re: Scientific analysis sheds new light on neolithic slate plaques from SW Portugal by Andy B on Tuesday, 01 April 2014
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This is absolutely fascinating stuff, both the new analysis and the plaque database which is new to me. I'm struggling to locate the megalithic tombs that these plaques came from - indeed how many have a provenance. Can anyone help?
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    Re: Scientific analysis sheds new light on neolithic slate plaques from SW Portugal by Runemage on Tuesday, 01 April 2014
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    It looks as though they are all being put on the website from scattered museum collections, I found this link which gives contact details of Esprit's innovator and would think the easiest way is to email, and enquire.
    http://research2.its.uiowa.edu/iberian/
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    Re: Scientific analysis sheds new light on neolithic slate plaques from SW Portugal by Estrela on Wednesday, 02 April 2014
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    You might ask Manuel Vega, whose Sailors of Stonehenge was reviewed here, I know he visits this site. The chapter I have been editing of his new book discusses what he calls "Eyed idols" and the illustrations match what you have here in type.
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