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The convergence of a number of research groups with common interests in an area little favored by the traditional hypotheses of the interpretation of Peninsular Prehistory made a group of scholars aware of the necessity of periodic... more
The convergence of a number of research groups with common interests in an area little favored by the traditional hypotheses of the interpretation of Peninsular Prehistory made a group of scholars aware of the necessity of periodic meetings to evaluate current thinking. The first took place at Santiago de Alcántara. The contents of these meetings has centered on the analysis of the undervaluing paradigms that have shaped an image of the peninsular interior void of population and subject to late and little compact impulses of more civilizing cultures, always settled on the Iberian coasts, both in the east and the west.
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Simposio Iberoamericano de Arqueología Espacial (SIAe) fue un encuentro celebrado a finales de octubre del 2013 en Santander (España) Coordinado por los Drs. A. Maximiano (IIIPC; UC) y E. Cerrillo (IAM). En este libro se presentan un... more
Simposio Iberoamericano de Arqueología Espacial (SIAe) fue un encuentro celebrado a finales de octubre del 2013 en Santander (España) Coordinado por los Drs. A. Maximiano (IIIPC; UC) y E. Cerrillo (IAM).
En este libro se presentan un conjunto de ponencias presentadas en dicha reunión, la cual se centró principalmente en aspectos de difusión de nuevas iniciativas, el debate y la conexión entre investigadores/grupos de ambos lados del Atlántico, donde el argumento transversal era la Arqueología Espacial.
Este evento fue patrocinado desde el Instituto de Investigaciones Prehistóricas de Cantábrica (Universidad de Cantabria) y el Instituto de Arqueología de Mérida (CSIC).
En los 2 días de reunión, concurrieron mas de 40 investigadores con un total de 25  ponencias confirmadas y finalmente, 21 presentadas.
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This is the first monograph to focus on the study of Early Neolithic groups along the Tagus river basin, in Central Spain. The author presents the first archaeological results on the Neolithic communities in the province of Caceres,... more
This is the first monograph to focus on the study of Early Neolithic groups along the Tagus river basin, in Central Spain. The author presents the first archaeological results on the Neolithic communities in the province of Caceres, Central Spain, establishing a theoretical and methodological framework to analyse the archaeological record. A large part of the work gathers together previous archaeological research on the area and presents new data obtained from a review of museum collections, surveys, and the excavation of the site of Los Barruecos, the main archaeological reference for the Early Neolithic in the region. Other chapters cover the Early Neolithic material culture, the archaeobotanical data and an analysis of faunal remains, among other data.
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The megalithic sites from southwest Iberia represent one of the largest clusters of prehistoric monuments in Europe from the Neolithic and Copper Age (fifth and third millennia cal BC). Unlike other regions from western Europe, there has... more
The megalithic sites from southwest Iberia represent one of the largest clusters of prehistoric monuments in Europe from the Neolithic and Copper Age (fifth and third millennia cal BC). Unlike other regions from western Europe, there has not been a recent effort to map the distribution of these kinds of burials across this vast territory. Therefore, this article aims to collect geographic information from three regions of southwest Iberia (Alentejo and Beira Baixa from Portugal and Extremadura from Spain) and to compare the archaeological evidence between different landscape units. We have mapped already known megaliths (ca 2000) and settlements (ca 1500) in this area. Moreover, through the interpretation of light detection and ranging (LiDAR) datasets, we have identified new walled enclosures and megaliths in the Extremadura region (Spain), the only one of the three where LiDAR data are available. The new data reveals new connections between settlements, burials and other archaeological evidence. Finally, we discuss the impact that these new data have on a new overall interpretation of megalithic landscapes from the Iberian Peninsula, stressing also the potential risks that the massive application of remote sensing can have in the production of archaeological knowledge.
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The present paper shows that is possible to record archaeological sites using 4k videos from UAVs. The here described methodology starts with the decomposition of the videos in the original frames. Considering that the recording of videos... more
The present paper shows that is possible to record archaeological sites using 4k videos from UAVs. The here described methodology starts with the decomposition of the videos in the original frames. Considering that the recording of videos is taken at a regular pace the extracted frames can be selected in different patterns to assure a proper photogrammetric restitution. In this paper, we have tested different configurations (overlapping of frames and the number of ground control points) to design an efficient protocol. The results show that the method is suitable for surveying large sites and that 4k videos can be a reliable source for producing accurate cartographic products (digital terrain models and ortho-images).
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The recording of megalithic art on menhirs in Western Iberia used to be performed through direct tracing. The use of photographic techniques represented an important advance in the interpretation of some of the most important prehistoric... more
The recording of megalithic art on menhirs in Western Iberia used to be performed through direct tracing. The use of photographic techniques represented an important advance in the interpretation of some of the most important prehistoric sites in this wide region, and also in the structuring of archaeological narratives. With the development of photogrammetry, the possibilities have improved considerably, enabling the recording of decorations not visible to the naked eye. In this paper, we present a new protocol to highlight the engravings on eroded surfaces, based on High Performance Computing and advanced algorithms for 3D mesh calculation. This tailored protocol has rendered expressive visual results that have succeeded in recording one of the most exceptional cromlechs in Western Europe: Almendres (Portugal). The results have proved the efficiency of the method and the need to revisit the classic megalithic sites.
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The aim of the present paper is twofold. It gathers the historiographic information regarding the called “Road of Silver” from the Renaissance to current times, highlighting the main contributions that several authors did to the... more
The aim of the present paper is twofold. It gathers the historiographic information regarding the called “Road of Silver” from the Renaissance to current times, highlighting the main contributions that several authors did to the knowledge of this Roman road and the infrastructure and settlements linked to it. On the other side, the text presents the results of the recognition of the track on the road through the review of LiDAR datasets. The new results have permitted us to elaborate a new cartography of the road along its route through current Extremadura region, elucidating some yet open questions about the track in certain points.
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Los estudios de aprovisionamiento del sílex en la comunidad autónoma de Extremadura están aún por desarrollarse. La incapacidad por ahora de relacionar las fuentes de aprovisionamiento del sílex conocidas con los materiales del registro... more
Los estudios de aprovisionamiento del sílex en la comunidad autónoma de Extremadura están aún por desarrollarse. La incapacidad por ahora de relacionar las fuentes de aprovisionamiento del sílex conocidas con los materiales del registro arqueológico se debe a la ausencia de análisis petrográficos, pero también a la falta de prospecciones geológicas y arqueológicas de las materias primas. En este trabajo presentamos un estado actual de la cuestión, recopilando fuentes geológicas que hasta ahora no habían sido tenidas en cuenta en la literatura arqueológica y describiendo algunos materiales, de forma macroscópica, procedentes de los trabajos que realizamos en distintos sectores de Extremadura.
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En este trabajo se presentan los resultados preliminares derivados del análisis del arte rupestre pintado de la cuenca del río Tignamar, Alto Valle de Azapa, específicamente de los sectores Pampa el Muerto, Tojotojone y Mullipungo. Los... more
En este trabajo se presentan los resultados preliminares derivados del análisis del arte rupestre pintado de la cuenca del río Tignamar, Alto Valle de Azapa, específicamente de los sectores Pampa el Muerto, Tojotojone y Mullipungo. Los avances obtenidos durante los últimos 3 años permitieron registrar a nivel de sitio y panel todos los sitios de arte rupestre previamente conocidos y otros recientemente descubiertos. A partir de ello y con la aplicación de nuevas técnicas de registro, se da cuenta de la representación de escenas y temáticas muy diversas, sin dudas, en relación con la larga secuencia de ocupación del extremo norte de Chile desde el período Arcaico hasta tiempos post-hispánicos.
A mediados del siglo XIX comienza a fraguarse una explicación racional del pasado prehistórico en España. La asimilación de conceptos fue un proceso que no corrió pa- ralelo al de las antigüedades clásicas. Estas últimas contaban... more
A mediados del siglo XIX comienza a fraguarse una explicación racional del pasado prehistórico en España. La asimilación de conceptos fue un proceso que no corrió pa- ralelo al de las antigüedades clásicas. Estas últimas contaban con referentes materiales, formales e ideológicos inmediatos, mientras que en lo referente al “pasado remoto”, el prehistórico, el folklore había diseñado sus propias interpretaciones.
Entender como se produce la asimilación de contenidos científicos, los de las llamadas “ciencias prehistóricas”, en un ambiente como el de Extremadura, sólo es posible a través de la figura de Vicente Paredes. Paredes mantendrá contacto epistolar con las persona- lidades más influyentes de la Prehistoria peninsular de finales del siglo XIX y comienzos del XX, y tratará de ofrecer su peculiar interpretación de ese pasado primitivo a través de artículos en la Revista de Extremadura.
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La multiplicidad de puntos de vista sobre un mismo dominio genera la aparición de diferentes ontologías, en la mayoría de las ocasiones con información semántica complementaria. El uso conjunto de estas ontologías como una base de... more
La multiplicidad de puntos de vista sobre un
mismo dominio genera la aparición de diferentes
ontologías, en la mayoría de las ocasiones con
información semántica complementaria. El uso
conjunto de estas ontologías como una base de
conocimiento presupone la aceptación de un
contexto común. En este trabajo se propone una
ontología de contexto (OC), para definir el
contexto, y una forma de representación de los
mismos que facilita la resolución de consultas
contextuales sobre la base de conocimiento.
Las proposiciones que se pueden expresar con
OC tienen una estructura similar a la del lenguaje
natural, consiguiendo un alto grado de
expresividad. Basándonos en la ontología OC se
ha definido un espacio multidimensional (EM)
que permite expresar contextos. Asociaremos un
contexto de EM a cada ontología y a cada
consulta, y su comparación permite deducir si la
ontología es relevante para dicha consulta y, por
tanto, si debe utilizarse para obtener su respuesta.
Un mecanismo de extensión del contexto de
búsqueda puede mejorar la selección de
ontologías relevantes.
Como resultado final, se ha implementado el
sistema experimental ArqueOnto, que permite
consultar términos arqueológicos en función del
contexto.
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This paper discusses a methodology for evaluating the viewshed of megalithic sites. Our proposal in grounded on the application of two algorithms: the prominence index or percentile of elevation, and the fuzzy viewshed modi ed for... more
This paper discusses a methodology for evaluating the viewshed of megalithic sites. Our proposal in grounded on the application of two algorithms: the prominence index or percentile of elevation, and the fuzzy viewshed modi ed for accounting the size of the observed object. Through these algorithms, we have characterised the visual panorama of mega- lithic burials from an area of the inner Tagus basin during the 4th and 3rd millennium cal BC. Our aim is to understand if viewsheds were a partial criteria that determined the location of megaliths in landscape.
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The Tagus River basin in Extremadura region (Spain) was re-structured during the second half of 20th century, flooding a vast extension of the drainage. The lack of a global planning for assessing the impact of reservoirs on cultural... more
The Tagus River basin in Extremadura region (Spain) was re-structured during the second half of 20th century,  flooding a vast extension of the drainage. The lack of a global planning for assessing the impact of reservoirs on cultural heritage forced to develop a specific actuation on Roman buildings, although not a systematic recording of the affected cultural heritage goods. This can be considered today as a first order issue when protecting the sites from the damage that the reservoirs cause. Up to the date there are not initiatives in Spain focused on the assessment of these damages. We have modelled in a GIS environment the variables that deteriorate archaeological sites with the aim of predicting their possibilities for preservation.The study case is the Alconétar area. The obtained results are useful for the management of cultural heritage and the planning of archaeological projects, increasingly frequent in areas of reservoirs.
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El proyecto de investigación del cual exponemos aquí una síntesis de los primeros resultados se ha desarrollado gracias a la financiación de la Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia de Portugal (PTDC/HAH/64548/2006). Su formulación... more
El proyecto de investigación del cual exponemos aquí una síntesis de los primeros resultados se ha desarrollado gracias a la financiación de la Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia de Portugal (PTDC/HAH/64548/2006). Su formulación radica en el hecho de que las diferentes teorías que pretenden explicar el neolítico desde posicionamientos migracionistas o indigenistas excluyentes no llegan a dar respuestas satisfactorias a la complejidad inherente al proceso de adquisición de la economía productora. Desde este marco conceptual era necesario plantear un proyecto, necesariamente internacional por su contexto geográfico y pluridisciplinar por los ámbitos de estudio abarcados, que a través de la colaboración con otros equipos e investigadores del sur peninsular y norte de África, avanzase en el estudio de registros novedosos o ya previamente conocidos mediante nuevos enfoques metodológicos que dieran contenido a determinadas lagunas de información empírica, cuyos resultados contribuyesen a los actuales debates teóricos relativos a la neolitización en dichos territorios.
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The distribution and location of Naturalistic Tradition rock art paintings from the Precordillera (western foothills of the Andean Cordillera), in northernmost Chile, are discussed. Stylistic similarities in rock art suggest a connection... more
The distribution and location of Naturalistic Tradition rock art paintings from the Precordillera (western foothills of the Andean Cordillera), in northernmost Chile, are discussed. Stylistic similarities in rock art suggest a connection between different sites and the construction of a specific symbolic territory and cultural landscape, where information-flows played a significant role. This process begun after the end of the Middle Archaic period (ca. 6000 BP) and during the Late Archaic (6.000–3.700 BP), when important transformations took place in social organization, interaction, mobility, economy and ideology in the whole South-Central Andes region. In the Precordillera changes related to camelid management were crucial, as shown by specific scenes of animals and human-animal interactions. The legitimation of this space required a territorial definition and new social interactions. In addition to the study of settlement patterns in the precordillera, this rock art study contributes to the further consideration of the social dimensions of the archaic highland communities.
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Resumen: En la actualidad contamos con millones de imágenes aéreas de muy diferentes resoluciones y distintos usos, de acceso libre, público y gratuito desde servidores de Internet, gracias a la creación de servicios de datos espaciales... more
Resumen: En la actualidad contamos con millones de imágenes aéreas de muy diferentes resoluciones y distintos usos, de acceso libre, público y gratuito desde servidores de Internet, gracias a la creación de servicios de datos espaciales como son los llamados Web Map Service (WMS). Para la práctica de la Arqueología la liberación de estas fuentes de datos ha impactado positivamente permitiendo apoyar proyectos de investigación de forma dinámica o realizar aproximaciones visuales más detalladas de los sitios, popularizándose su uso. Esta popularización precisa también de una propuesta de buenas prácticas en Arqueología, evitando algunos de los riesgos que implica su utilización. Es por ello que en el presente artículo señalamos brevemente estos puntos y proponemos una metodología orientada a la documentación de paisajes prehistóricos en la zona de Extremadura, basada en la comparación de series temporales de imágenes WMS tratadas a través de una solución de software libre, creada ad hoc, y la aplicación de criterios de validación. Una propuesta metodológica y sus respectivos resultados que nos servirán para evaluar la versatilidad y efectividad de estas fuentes de datos espaciales libres.

Palabras clave: arqueología aérea, WMS, datos espaciales, Prehistoria, Extremadura.
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Resumen: En 1874 Jerónimo de Sande, un erudito local, excavó una serie de monumentos megalíticos localizados cerca del cauce del río Tajo, que constituían la necrópolis de Guadancil. En este trabajo realizamos un recorrido por la... more
Resumen: En 1874 Jerónimo de Sande, un erudito local, excavó una serie de monumentos megalíticos localizados cerca del cauce del río Tajo, que constituían la necrópolis de Guadancil. En este trabajo realizamos un recorrido por la documentación histórica disponible para desentrañar una nueva lectura de la necrópolis, así como un análisis arqueológico de los materiales que se conservan hoy en día en el Museo Arqueológico Nacional en la Colección Sande. El análisis conjunto de materiales e información histórica nos sirve para comprender mejor la inserción de los monumentos en el paisaje, pero también comportamientos sociales y culturales de las comunidades del III milenio cal BC en el interior peninsular.

Abstract: In 1874 Jerónimo de Sande, an antiquarian, excavated a series of megalithic monuments near the Tagus River, which formed the Guadancil necropolis. In this paper we gather all the available historical documentation to untangle a new interpretation of this necropolis as well as an archaeological analysis of the archaeological artefacts preserved in the Sande collection at the Museo Arqueológico Nacional. The combined analysis of artefacts and historicalinformation allows us to understand the insertion of monuments in their landscape,but also social and cultural behaviour of human communities from the 3rd millennium calBC in inland Spain
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The digital tracing of rock art is becoming a standard for archaeologists working in this field of research. The lack of specific software for this task has resulted in archaeologists either using solutions that are not statistically... more
The digital tracing of rock art is becoming a standard for archaeologists working in this field of research. The lack of specific software for this task has resulted in archaeologists either using solutions that are not statistically robust enough or working with overly generic fields of image analysis. This paper will assess the application of three techniques for digital tracing: Principal Components Analysis, K-means, and Decorrelation Stretch. In addition to these techniques of image analysis, this paper will also explore three selective techniques that classify or enhance pigmentation. These analyses have been implemented in a software package called PyDRA (developed by one of the authors, ECC). This software makes use of several scientific libraries for the digital analysis of an image. As a case study, we chose three rock art sites located between 3100 and 3500 m above sea level in the precordillera of Arica, the northern region of Chile. All of the paintings are located inside rock shelters that are easily accessible; however, we lack a systematic recording for analysing these sites. Pampa El Muerto 14 and Mullipungo 1 were recorded through direct tracings between 1980 and 1990. The Lupica 1 site was identified only in 2013 and has not been recorded until now. Due to the advancement of technology in the years since the 1980s, we have been able to compare the proficiency of different digital and statistical techniques. Our study uses the most adequate parameters and enables us to trace the paintings digitally without actually handling the surface of the rock.
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There are reasons other than biological and environmental to argue for the preservation of Doñana National Park—reasons which are geological, archaeological, and anthropological. Up until the establishment of Estación Biológica of CSIC,... more
There are reasons other than biological and environmental to argue for the preservation of Doñana National Park—reasons which are geological, archaeological, and anthropological.  Up until the establishment of Estación Biológica of CSIC, the lower Guadalquivir River basin was home to a human community adapted to the rich, varied resources of a marshland milieu.  Early in the 20th century, the construction of Palacio de la Marismilla led to the unexpected discovery of a yet older settlement: one by Cerro del Trigo, dated to the 2nd to the 6th century AD, which archaeologist G. Bonsor and philologist A. Schulten excavated in the 1920s.  Their project confirmed such occupation, and, in the process, revealed an earlier, prehistoric one, along with clear signs of subsidence of the ground during the Holocene.  In effect, Doñana National Park is a setting for relatively rapid geomorphological processes of scientific interest, which can be compared with those that climate oscillations and neo-tectonics have generated elsewhere in the planet over the past millennia.  Since 2005 the interdisciplinary Hinojos Project has brought the relevance of these scientific accomplishments to bear on its own results—mainly, on the one hand, the evidence of settlement and cultural development that goes back to at least Neolithic times and, on the other, the traces of a rapid geomorphological dynamics that combines long phases of alluvial sedimentation and subsidence of the ground with short, periodic events of high-energy marine transgression.

KEY WORDS: Doñana, Guadalquivir paleo-estuary, Middle Holocene, Late Holocene, Geomorphological evolution, Neo-tectonics, Extreme Wave Events, Subsidence, Settlement changes, Neolithic, Copper Age, Bronze Age, Roman period, Islamic period.

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http://editorial.csic.es/publicaciones/libros/12647/978-84-00-10101-5/donana-50-anos-de-investigaciones-cientificas.html

RESUMEN: Hay más razones que las biológicas y medioambientales para conservar Doñana: son razones geológicas, arqueológicas y antropológicas.  Hasta la constitución de la Estación Biológica del CSIC en 1964, la comarca del bajo Guadalquivir estuvo habitada durante siglos por una comunidad humana adaptada al aprovechamiento de los muchos recursos que el medio marismeño ofrece.  A comienzos del siglo XX, la construcción del Palacio de La Marismilla tuvo por efecto inesperado el descubrimiento de los restos de un poblamiento más antiguo aún: el del yacimiento de El Cerro del Trigo, de los siglos II a VI de nuestra era, que el arqueólogo G. Bonsor y el filólogo A. Schulten excavarían en la década de 1920.  Su proyecto confirmó este poblamiento y, además, reveló indicios de otro, más remoto todavía, de la prehistoria, así como señales de una subsidencia general del terreno durante el Holoceno.  El Espacio Natural es, en efecto, escenario de procesos geomorfológicos de duración relativamente rápida que tienen un gran interés científico; son comparables a los que generan en otras zonas del planeta las fluctuaciones climáticas y la neo-tectónica de los últimos milenios.  El pluridisciplinar Proyecto Hinojos, iniciado en 2005, ha puesto en valor estos referentes para la ciencia sobre Doñana a la luz de sus propios resultados: principalmente, de un lado, evidencias de poblamiento y tradiciones culturales que se remontan al menos al Neolítico y, de otro, claros signos de una rápida dinámica geomorfológica de fases sedimentarias aluviales y de subsidencia, interrumpidas periódicamente por episodios erosivos de origen oceánico de alta energía.

PALABRAS CLAVE: Doñana, paleo-estuario del Guadalquivir, Holoceno Medio, Holoceno Superior, evolución geomorfológica, neo-tectónica, episodios de transgresión oceánica extrema, subsidencia, cambios en poblamiento, Neolítico, Calcolítico, Edad del Bronce, época romana, época andalusí.
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Autor de contacto: Patricia Matamoros Coder, patricia.m@coder.es RESUMEN: El patrimonio cultural subacuático ubicado en las orillas de los ríos españoles, se ha visto afectado desde la segunda mitad del siglo XX, por la inundación... more
Autor de contacto: Patricia Matamoros Coder, patricia.m@coder.es RESUMEN: El patrimonio cultural subacuático ubicado en las orillas de los ríos españoles, se ha visto afectado desde la segunda mitad del siglo XX, por la inundación provocada por la construcción de embalses y canales de derivación dedicados a riego y producción de energía eléctrica, fundamentalmente. La época en la que se realizaron estas grandes obras de contención coincidieron con un momento en el que la protección del patrimonio quedaba relegada a un segundo plano, prevaleciendo " el ideario hidráulico de Costa " (Gil Olcina 1991: 18) que basaba en " …los alumbramientos y depósitos de aguas… " el " …progreso agrícola y social de España… " (Costa 1911). En esta comunicación tratamos de abordar la problemática que supuso la inundación de un buen número de sitios arqueológicos, entre otros tipos como el etnográfico, tras el embalsamiento de casi la totalidad de la cuenca extremeña del río Tajo. La mayor parte del terreno fue inundada sin tomar en cuenta su valor arqueológico y cultural, y sin la toma de medidas necesarias de minimización del impacto arqueológico de los yacimientos que entonces se conocían. Estos trabajos realizados antes de la inundación, se limitaron a excavaciones de urgencia concluidas con premura ante la inminente inundación y al traslado de tres importantes monumentos, dos templos y un puente romano, elementos altamente valorados en la época que tratamos. Lo que actualmente encontramos cada vez que, eventualmente, se produce un descenso del nivel de los embalses, son sitios inéditos, que han sido exhumados por la acción del agua, otros que han desaparecido debido a su efecto erosivo, y sitios que han sufrido expolio y vandalismo al quedarse desprotegidos. Las medidas de vigilancia no son suficientes en estos períodos que llegan a prolongarse, en ocasiones durante meses, además las intervenciones arqueológicas que se realizan aprovechando la emersión, no están coordinadas con los organismos que controlan estos embalses, produciéndose buen número de veces, la subida del agua provocando la detención o celeridad de las campañas. Creemos que la primera medida a tomar para que cambie esta situación y puedan estudiarse y protegerse debidamente estos sitios, es la catalogación e inventario de los mismos. Ya que proteger es imposible sin conocer (http://ita.calameo.com/read/000075335b012b37e3d4b, p. 39), a partir de una tesis doctoral que se está desarrollando en la UPV y desde el Instituto de Arqueología-Mérida (CSIC – Gobierno de Extremadura), se ha estado trabajando en la elaboración de un catálogo de este patrimonio, a partir de una serie de campos que consideramos indispensables para la valoración de daños y tiempo de vida de los yacimientos. El análisis de los sitios registrados en el catálogo proporciona información suficiente para proponer medidas de minimización del impacto arqueológico o para mejorar su conservación.
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A multidisciplinary analysis of cores and geomorphic patterns in the marshes of Doñana National Park (SW Spain) has yielded new evidence regarding the sedimentary infilling and geomorphological evolution of the Guadalquivir estuary... more
A multidisciplinary analysis of cores and geomorphic patterns in the marshes of Doñana National Park (SW
Spain) has yielded new evidence regarding the sedimentary infilling and geomorphological evolution of the
Guadalquivir estuary during the Holocene. The sedimentation and geomorphological disposition have been
strongly conditioned by neotectonic activity along a set of SW-NE alignments, interrupted by other alignments
that follow E-W and NW-SE directions. The most conspicuous of the SW-NE alignments is the Torre
Carbonero-Marilópez Fault (TCMF). South of this fault, the estuary experienced a marked subsidence from
about 4000 to 2000 cal. yr BP through a series of sedimentary sequences of retrogradation and aggradationwithin
the context of relative sea-level rise. From c. 2000 cal. yr BP to the present the subsidence has remained relatively
dormant, with progradation of the littoral systems and infilling of the marshland progressing within a context of
sea-level stability. Our results reveal that neotectonic activity is a critical factor that must also be reckonedwith in
any attempt to understand the Holocene geomorphological evolution in the Guadalquivir estuary.
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A multidisciplinary study from a number of drilled cores in the Guadalquivir estuary has made possible to identify as many as three extreme wave events and their facies in the 4th millennium BP (A: ~4000 cal yr BP, B: ~3550 cal yr BP, and... more
A multidisciplinary study from a number of drilled cores in the Guadalquivir estuary has made possible to identify as many as three extreme wave events and their facies in the 4th millennium BP (A: ~4000 cal yr BP, B: ~3550 cal yr BP, and C: ~3150 cal yr BP). These events, which caused strong erosion in the Guadalquivir sandy barrier and in the neighboring aeolian systems of El Abalario, brought about significant paleogeographical changes that may have affected human settlements established in the area during the Neolithic and Copper Age periods and during the Middle Bronze Age. The three events can be spatially correlated and their facies differentiated from more proximal to more distal from the coastline. The most proximal facies is characterized by a massive accumulation of shells, a sandy or sandy–muddy matrix, an erosive base, a highly diverse mixture of species (marine and estuarine), and lithoclasts. The most distal facies presents a muddy–sandy matrix, dominance of estuarine fauna, shell accumulation , presence of terrestrial species, mudpebbles, pebbles in a clayey matrix, and bioturbation. The evidence presented will further advance scientific knowledge about the impact of extreme wave events on coastal areas in SW Iberia and NW Africa.
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In this paper a method for the detection of megalithic barrows from LiDAR height data is presented. The methodology is grounded on the joint application of morphometric and morphological classification of digital terrain models,... more
In this paper a method for the detection of megalithic barrows from LiDAR height data is presented. The methodology is grounded on the joint application of morphometric and morphological classification of digital terrain models, segmentation and detection of circular patterns (Hough Transform). Since the segmentation of the data is proposed it can be considered as a GEOBIA (Geo-Object-based Image Analysis) approach to remote sensing in Archaeology. There are three major strengths in the proposed methodology: 1) the use of supercomputing (High Performance Computing) for the analysis of topographical information, 2) the development of own specific code, and 3) the use of accurate topographic descriptors for terrain analysis. The method is able to provide concrete locations that can eventually match the theoretical morphometric features of this kind of sepulchres. The application has leaded to discover new barrows in a region from Western Spain.
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The preliminary results of an archaeological survey program in the region of La Vera (Cáceres, Spain), aiming to the study of the Mesolithic and Neolithic settlement in the Tagus basin, are presented. This research lead to the detection... more
The preliminary results of an archaeological survey program in the region of La Vera (Cáceres, Spain), aiming to the study of the Mesolithic and Neolithic settlement in the Tagus basin, are presented. This research lead to the detection of a new concentration of Neolithic open-air sites in the area known as Veguillas (Jarandilla de la Vera). The sites were poorly preserved due to recent erosion processes. Yet it was possible to find a Neo- lithic structure (Veguillas), to delimite precisely the settlements, and to characterize their industries. These were mainly defined by the presence of geometric microliths knapped with the microburin technique.
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En este artículo presentamos información inédita sobre Jerónimo de Sande, bien conocido por sus excavaciones en los dólmenes de Guadancil (Garrovillas de Alconétar, Cáceres). Sande fue un coleccionista destacado, que con su labor... more
En este artículo presentamos información inédita sobre Jerónimo de Sande, bien conocido por sus excavaciones en los dólmenes de Guadancil (Garrovillas de Alconétar, Cáceres). Sande fue un coleccionista destacado, que con su labor contribuyó a formar las colecciones del Museo Arqueológico Nacional y el Museo de Cáceres. La información que presentamos sirve para contextualizar socialmente la práctica arqueológica del siglo XIX en la región, pero también para entenderla dentro de un proceso de formalización e institucionalización de la Arqueología en una escala nacional.
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A series of occupations from Epipalaeolithic to Modern Age has been recognised at the group of caves from Canaleja Valley (Romangordo, Cáceres, Spain). Artefacts belonging to different archaeological contexts have been recovered. Part of... more
A series of occupations from Epipalaeolithic to Modern Age has been recognised at the group of caves from Canaleja Valley (Romangordo, Cáceres, Spain). Artefacts belonging to different archaeological contexts have been recovered. Part of them, yet unpublished, is formed by fish hooks, matrices for their crafting,
fishing net weights… artefacts linked to the practice of fishing, whose study allows us to reflect about the economy of Late Prehistory in Extremadura region, in a place where Tagus River and its secondary streams are relevant.
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En el presente artículo realizamos un repaso por las técnicas de realce digital de pinturas rupestres, tanto de algoritmos y soluciones aplicadas por nosotros mismos como de otras que ya cuentan con un cierto recorrido en la literatura.... more
En el presente artículo realizamos un repaso por las técnicas de realce digital de pinturas rupestres,
tanto de algoritmos y soluciones aplicadas por nosotros mismos como de otras que ya cuentan con un cierto
recorrido en la literatura. Quizás es el momento óptimo, ya que nos encontramos ante un incremento de
los trabajos que adoptan técnicas digitales para la documentación de arte rupestre. Pretendemos ofrecer
una actualización de los métodos publicados con breves comentarios, así como una serie de reflexiones finales
que apuntan algunas posibles tendencias de evolución de las técnicas.

In this paper we do a review about the techniques of digital enhancement of paintings in rock art considering
algorithms and solutions applied by ourselves as well as others that have been published during the last
years. Nowadays is perhaps an optimum time to do such a review, since the number of research papers on
the application of digital techniques for rock art documentation has increased. We intend to offer an actualization
of the methods with brief comments as well as some thoughts that point out future methodological
developments.
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El arte rupestre de la precordillera de Arica, en el Desierto de Atacama del extremo norte de Chile fue descrito por primera vez en la década de los setenta por Hans Niemeyer. Desde las primeras investigaciones se destacaron las escenas... more
El arte rupestre de la precordillera de Arica, en el Desierto de Atacama del extremo norte de Chile fue descrito por primera vez en la década de los setenta por Hans Niemeyer. Desde las primeras investigaciones se destacaron las escenas con figuras zoomorfas de camélidos en actitudes dinámicas y, con distintos grados de naturalismo. Actualmente, su variabilidad, junto con la de las figuras antropomor- fas, ha permitido precisar dos variantes estilística (GE1 y GE2), cuya adscripción cronológica es debatida, debido a la dificultad de asociar el conjunto artístico con los sitios arqueológicos. El sector de pampa el Muerto en la precordillera de Arica, se ubica en la cuenca de los ríos Tignamar-San José, entre 2.500-3.800 msnm. Con- cretamente para el sector, contamos con cinco dataciones procedentes de tres sitios (Pampa el Muerto 3, 8 y 12), las cuales evidencian ocupaciones que oscilan entre finales del período Arcaico Medio (aproximadamente 5.000 años a.C.), asociado a grupos de cazadores-recolectores, y el Intermedio Tardío, definido por grupos aldea- nos agroalfareros entre los siglos XIII y XV. No obstante, los registros descriptivos revelan una actividad pictórica prolongada hasta la época colonial. En este contexto, se hace patente la necesidad de un estudio que permita precisar la variabilidad esti- lística existente y los distintos momentos de ejecución de las figuras, es decir, un estudio que analice las pautas de representación características de las manifestacio- nes rupestres ya que, generalmente, muestran variaciones espaciales y temporales en función de diversos factores. El abordaje a micro-escala para evaluar la variabilidad estilística nos parece hoy fundamental en la precordillera de modo que la localidad de Pampa el Muerto aparece como un área suficientemente acotada, en función de sus características geomorfológicas, geográficas y ambientales. También se requiere mejorar las formas de documentación, más allá del registro mediante ficha y foto- grafía digital realizado hasta ahora, privilegiando la aplicación de técnicas digitales para la documentación e interpretación del conjunto rupestre. Para Pampa el Muerto. la creación de modelos geométricos de alta resolución de los aleros rupestres ha sido posible gracias a técnicas de fotogrametría digital. La información radiométrica ha sido sometida a análisis estadísticos a modo de: 1) destacar elementos pintados que son imperceptibles a simple vista y 2) proporcionar calcos nítidos de manera auto- mática. Con este propósito se diseñaron nuevos algoritmos, algunos de forma espe- cífica para este trabajo, que permiten mejorar notoriamente la resolución del registro obtenido. Esta aproximación, mediante innovadoras técnicas de documentación per- mitirá disponer de un registro integral, de alta resolución y objetivo de las represen-
| ARKEOS 37 | 523 | XIX INTERNATIONAL ROCK ART CONFERENCE - IFRAO 2015 |
| Aproximación mediante técnicas digitales de documentación al estudio del arte rupestre pictórico en el sector Pampa el Muerto | Zaray Guerrero et al |
taciones pictóricas. En este trabajo se discuten las implicancias de estas técnicas para el estudio de las pinturas de Pampa el Muerto en la Precordillera de Arica.
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The digital tracing of rock art is becoming a standard for archaeologists working in this field of research. The lack of specific software for this task has resulted in archaeologists either using solutions that are not statistically... more
The digital tracing of rock art is becoming a standard for archaeologists working in this field of research. The lack of specific software for this task has resulted in archaeologists either using solutions that are not statistically robust enough or working with overly generic fields of image analysis. This paper will assess the application of three techniques for digital tracing: Principal Components Analysis, K-means, and Decorrelation Stretch. In addition to these techniques of image analysis, this paper will also explore three selective techniques that classify or enhance pigmentation. These analyses have been implemented in a software package called PyDRA (developed by one of the authors, ECC). This software makes use of several scientific libraries for the digital analysis of an image.

As a case study, we chose three rock art sites located between 3100 and 3500 m above sea level in the precordillera of Arica, the northern region of Chile. All of the paintings are located inside rock shelters that are easily accessible; however, we lack a systematic recording for analysing these sites. Pampa El Muerto 14 and Mullipungo 1 were recorded through direct tracings between 1980 and 1990. The Lupica 1 site was identified only in 2013 and has not been recorded until now. Due to the advancement of technology in the years since the 1980s, we have been able to compare the proficiency of different digital and statistical techniques. Our study uses the most adequate parameters and enables us to trace the paintings digitally without actually handling the surface of the rock.
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A detailed pollen analysis has been carried out on two sediment cores taken from a marsh area located in the Doñana National Park, southwestern Spain. The studied sedimentary sequences contain a similar late Holocene record of vegetation... more
A detailed pollen analysis has been carried out on two sediment cores taken from a marsh area located in the Doñana National Park, southwestern Spain. The studied sedimentary sequences contain a similar late Holocene record of vegetation and climate and show a progressive aridification trend since at least 5000 cal. yr BP, through a decrease in forest cover in this area. Long-term vegetation changes shown here (semi-desert expansion and Mediterranean forest decline) paralleled declining summer insolation. Decreasing summer insolation most likely impacted negatively on tree growing season as well as on winter precipitation in the area. Superimposed on the long-term aridification trend were multi-centennial scale periods characterized by forest reductions or increases in arid and halophytic plants that can be interpreted as produced by enhanced droughts and/or by local geodynamic processes. These are centered at ca. 4000, 3000–2500, and 1000 cal. yr BP, coinciding in timing and duration with well-known dry events in the western Mediterranean and other areas but could have also been generated by local sedimentary or geodynamic processes such as a marine transgression in a subsidence context and extreme wave events (EWEs). The alternation of persistent North Atlantic Oscillation modes probably played an important role in controlling these relatively humid–arid cycles.
El análisis de cuencas visuales es una de las aplicaciones de los SIG que más repercusión han tenido en Arqueología. El éxito de su uso está condicionado también por la elección del método de elaboración de los modelos digitales del... more
El análisis de cuencas visuales es una de las aplicaciones de los SIG que más repercusión han tenido en Arqueología. El éxito de su uso está condicionado también por la elección del método de elaboración de los modelos digitales del terreno, bien sea a partir de modelos obtenidos por triangulación o por interpolación (splines, etc). Es ésta una consideración de partida que pretendemos incluir en esta comunicación.
En este trabajo se ha empleado el software GRASS para tratar de comprender diversos aspectos sobre la función del sistema defensivo de un poblado amurallado de la II Edad del Hierro, especialmente módulos adicionales específicamente desarrollados para Arqueología.
Nuestro trabajo se ha centrado esencialmente en las cuencas visuales y en el análisis de prominencia, aunque no hemos querido obviar otras posibilidades como el cálculo de caminos óptimos para comprender los accesos al castro.
Con esta aplicación práctica puede ponerse de relieve la versatilidad de este paquete de software libre frente a otras soluciones que se emplean en el mercado.
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The building of dams during the second half of the 20 century at the stream of the Tagus River, Extremadura region, caused the flooding of a significant part of its archaeological heritage. Currently, the problem of safeguarding this... more
The building of dams during the second half of the 20 century at the stream of the Tagus River, Extremadura region, caused the flooding of a significant part of its archaeological heritage. Currently, the problem of safeguarding this underwater heritage should be faced in a national context where assignments are scarce for the protection of a unique Heritage. In the present paper, we focus on the area of the Alconétar’s ford, which lies sunk today at the Alcántara reservoir. This is the environment where we have been developing a research project since 2009, which has let us to raise specific methodologies for analysing this type of Heritage and identifying new archaeological sites.
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During the 1960 and 1970 decades, several engineering works were performed along the Tagus River for producing hydroelectric energy; consequently areas with high potential archaeological were flooded. Since the heritage preservation... more
During the 1960 and 1970 decades, several engineering works were performed along the Tagus River for producing hydroelectric energy; consequently areas with high potential archaeological were flooded. Since the heritage preservation polices were in an early stage, the works didn’t count with impact evaluation assesses, and a system- atic documentation of heritage was never performed. Nowadays, there is awareness for engaging in activities directed to the underwater heritage that lies in continental waters, which should lead to a discussion about how to face its preservation. Current laws do not reflect the status of this specific underwater heritage, consequently, the sites are consid- ered as conventional terrestrial archaeological heritage. It seems evident that is necessary to develop techniques to boost the gathering of information on the sites and their environments, which should be also dedicated to analyse and model the agents that aggravate its deterioration.
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In this paper we present the recent advances on the characterization of burial caves from Extremadura region (Spain). We present an appraisal of actualised data, which includes recent absolute dates and anthropological data. We briefly... more
In this paper we present the recent advances on the characterization of burial caves from Extremadura region (Spain). We present an appraisal of actualised data, which includes recent absolute dates and anthropological data. We briefly discuss about the interpretation of collective burial caves and the observed rituals from Early Neolithic to Copper Age.
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A multidisciplinary analysis of cores and geomorphic patterns in the marshes of Doñana National Park (SW Spain) has yielded new evidence regarding the sedimentary infilling and geomorphological evolution of the Guadalquivir estuary during... more
A multidisciplinary analysis of cores and geomorphic patterns in the marshes of Doñana National Park (SW Spain) has yielded new evidence regarding the sedimentary infilling and geomorphological evolution of the Guadalquivir estuary during the Holocene. The sedimentation and geomorphological disposition have been strongly conditioned by neotectonic activity along a set of SW-NE alignments, interrupted by other alignments that follow E-W and NW-SE directions. The most conspicuous of the SW-NE alignments is the Torre Carbonero-Marilópez Fault (TCMF). South of this fault, the estuary experienced a marked subsidence from about 4000 to 2000 cal. yr BP through a series of sedimentary sequences of retrogradation and aggradation within the context of relative sea-level rise. From c. 2000 cal. yr BP to the present the subsidence has remained relatively dormant, with progradation of the littoral systems and infilling of the marshland progressing within a context of sea-level stability. Our results reveal that neotectonic activity is a critical factor that must also be reckoned with in any attempt to understand the Holocene geomorphological evolution in the Guadalquivir estuary.
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A non-invasive procedure for assessing and interpreting the pigments of rock art paintings through computer vision and photogrammetric techniques is presented. The method is designed to document and interpret poorly preserved pigments by... more
A non-invasive procedure for assessing and interpreting the pigments of rock art paintings through computer vision and photogrammetric techniques is presented. The method is designed to document and interpret poorly preserved pigments by making use of advanced techniques of photogrammetry and computational imaging. Two different software solutions that were developed by the authors have been used for this purpose. Finally, two case studies of rock art paintings from Spain have been analysed, which show the reliability of the method.
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And 52 more

Co-presented with E. Cerrillo Cuenca, L. Oosterbeek, P. Saladié.
Communication presented at 1º Congresso de Arqueologia do Alto Ribatejo. Vila Nova da Barquinha, 11-12 Outubro, 2011.
Las diferentes teorías que pretenden explicar el neolítico desde posicionamientos migracionistas o indigenistas excluyentes no llegan a dar respuestas satisfactorias a la complejidad inherente al proceso de adquisición de la economía... more
Las diferentes teorías que pretenden explicar el neolítico desde posicionamientos migracionistas o indigenistas excluyentes no llegan a dar respuestas satisfactorias a la complejidad inherente al proceso de adquisición de la economía productora. Desde este marco conceptual era necesario plantear un proyecto, necesariamente internacional por su contexto geográfico y pluridisciplinar por los ámbitos de estudio abarcados, que a través de la colaboración con otros equipos e investigadores del sur peninsular y norte de África, avanzase en el estudio de registros novedosos o ya previamente conocidos mediante nuevos enfoques metodológicos que dieran contenido a determinadas lagunas de información empírica, cuyos resultados contribuyesen a los actuales debates teóricos relativos a la neolitización en dichos territorios.
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The recording of megalithic art on menhirs in Western Iberia used to be performed through direct tracing. The use of photographic techniques represented an important advance in the interpretation of some of the most important prehistoric... more
The recording of megalithic art on menhirs in Western Iberia used to be performed through direct tracing. The use of photographic techniques represented an important advance in the interpretation of some of the most important prehistoric sites in this wide region, and also in the structuring of archaeological narratives. With the development of photogrammetry, the possibilities have improved considerably, enabling the recording of decorations not visible to the naked eye. In this paper, we present a new protocol to highlight the engravings on eroded surfaces, based on High Performance Computing and advanced algorithms for 3D mesh calculation. This tailored protocol has rendered expressive visual results that have succeeded in recording one of the most exceptional cromlechs in Western Europe: Almendres (Portugal). The results have proved the efficiency of the method and the need to revisit the classic megalithic sites.
Several projects on the megalithic sites in the basin of the river Tagus contribute evidences on the close relation between stelae with engraved weapons and chronologically advanced megalithic graves. The importance of human images in the... more
Several projects on the megalithic sites in the basin of the river Tagus contribute evidences on the close relation between
stelae with engraved weapons and chronologically advanced megalithic graves. The importance of human images in the development
of Iberian megalithic art supports an evolution of these contents toward pieces with engraved weapons which dating back to the 3rd
millennium cal BC.
From the analysis of the evidences reported by the whole geographical sector, this paper is also aimed at determining if the graphic
resources used in these stelae express any kind of identity.
Visible stelae in barrows and chambers from the 3rd millennium cal BC would be the images around which sepulchral areas were
progressively added, thus constituting true ancestral references throughout the Bronze Age.
Keywords: Chalcolithic, megalithic sites, identities, metallurgy, SW Iberian Peninsula
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