We generated genome-wide ancient DNA data from the Balearic Islands, Sicily, and Sardinia, increasing the number of individuals with reported data from 5 to 66. The oldest individual from the Balearic Islands (~2400 BCE) carried ancestry from Steppe pastoralists that likely derived from west-to-east migration from Iberia, while two later Balearic individuals had less. In Sicily, Steppe pastoralist ancestry arrived by ~2200 BCE in part from Iberia; Iranian-related ancestry arrived by the mid-second millennium BCE contemporary to its previously documented spread to the Aegean; and there was large-scale population replacement following the Bronze Age. In Sardinia, nearly all ancestry derived from the island’s early farmers until the first millennium BCE, with an exception of a third millennium BCE outlier who had primarily North African ancestry and who along with an approximately contemporary Iberian documents widespread Africa-to-Europe gene flow in the Chalcolithic. Major immigration into Sardinia began in the first millennium BCE and today no more than 56–62% of Sardinian ancestry is from its first farmers, which is lower than previous estimates highlighting how Sardinia—like every other region in Europe—has been a stage for major movement and mixtures of people.

The goal of this paper is to establish a solid chronology which spans the earliest human presence in each of the three larger Balearic Islands. For this purpose, a review is undertaken of archaeological evidence and associated absolute dating related to the period before the 2nd millennium Cal BC. Additionally, palaeoecological, sedimentological and palaeocultural evidence for human absence on these islands during the middle Holocene is introduced. The most recent values for ranges of the earliest reliable radiocarbon dates relating to human occupation of the three islands indicate, with p > 95%, human presence on Mallorca before 2030 cal BC, on Menorca before ca. 1930 Cal BC, and on Eivissa before 1880 Cal BC. On the other hand, the evidence for human absence indicates that, on Mallorca and Menorca the human irruption must have occurred during the 3rd millennium cal BC, whereas on Eivissa it can only be said that this irruption was later than 6th millennium Cal BC.

The prehistoric site of Cornia Nou (Menorca) features a number of well-preserved architectural structures belonging to the Talayotic culture. Over the last 6 yr, a team linked to the Museum of Menorca has conducted an archaeological excavation project of a large rectangular building attached to the south side of a substantial and massive talayot, which is considered the western talayot. The main objective of this paper is to present the chronological framework of this building, specifying the period of use and the time of abandonment of the building, as well as the dating of the different phases of its construction. A total of 27 14 C analyses were obtained from samples of the stratigraphic layers and architectonic structures inside the South Building (SB). This research has provided new insights concerning the early stages of the Talayotic culture. The 14 C dates allow us to place the first recorded occupation phase of the SB in an interval dated within 1100-900 BC (phase 4). A second phase in the occupation of the SB dates to ~900-800 BC (phase 5). A final occupation phase could be situated between 800-600 BC (phase 6). However, this record provides evidence to suggest that the construction of the west talayot may pertain to a time before the beginning of the 1st millennium cal BC.

ABSTRACT. The Balearic quicklime burials of the Iron Age have been radiocarbon dated. Because the bones found are unsuitable for dating, lime was dated using the titration method, with results indicating that in some samples there is still fossil limestone carbonate present, while other samples suffered from recarbonation. Nevertheless, 14 C dates on lime and organic matter agree when both are present. The titration method allows calculating a consensus value. INTRODUCTION Lime BurialsThe Balearic Islands (Mallorca and Menorca, Spain; see Figure 1) are the only place in the Mediterranean region where during the Iron Age people were systematically buried in quicklime (CaO). This practice was very common during the Balearic Iron Age (Stuiver and Waldren 1975; Waldren 1990, 1995), although it is still debated whether this rite started early or later in the Iron Age (Micó Pérez 2005;Micó 2006). Given that these kinds of deposits are often found in natural caves or rockshelters and thus are not very visible, some are not catalogued as archaeological sites, but the presence of about a hundred of these deposits can be estimated for Mallorca and Menorca. This burial practice lasted until the early Roman occupation, but its origin is unknown.

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