Amber imitation? Two unusual cases of Pinus resin-coated beads in Iberian Late Prehistory (3rd and 2nd millennia BC)

Odriozola, Carlos P.; Garrido-Cordero, José Ángel; Daura, Joan; Sanz, Montserrat; Blanes, José María Martínez; Avilés, M.A.

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0215469

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…The wide striations observed in the teeth of the Cova del Gegant individuals are consistent with the idea of mixed diets, influenced by food processing and contamination by extrinsic particles in the environment. Moreover, extensive exchange networks were well established over considerable distances (Odriozola et al, 2017), allowing for the observation of different cultural and symbolic behaviors (Odriozola et al, 2019). This variability in cultural practices and symbolism may be reflected in the observed dietary patterns, suggesting distinct ways of life.…”

Section: Contextualizing the Dietary Practices Of These Farming And L...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Eating through time: Understanding dietary practices across late prehistory in the northeastern Iberian Peninsula

Hernando,

Moreno‐Ibáñez,

Carbonell

et al. 2024

American Journal of Biological Anthropology

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ObjectiveThis study seeks to contribute to the current understanding of dietary variation in the late Prehistory of the northeastern Iberian Peninsula by examining buccal dental microwear patterns alongside archeological data from the same populations.Materials and MethodsTeeth from 84 adult individuals from eight distinct samples spanning the Middle‐Late Neolithic to the Middle Bronze Age (Cova de l'Avi, Cova de Can Sadurní, Cova de la Guineu, Cova Foradada, Cova del Trader, Roc de les Orenetes, Cova del Gegant, Cova dels Galls Carboners) were analyzed using optical microscopy to examine buccal dental microwear patterns.ResultsThe analysis did not reveal clear chronological contrasts in the dietary habits of these samples. Nevertheless, significant differences emerged among the samples, leading to their classification into two distinct sets based on the abrasiveness of the diet informed by the microwear patterns. These findings offer similarities and differences among samples in the Iberian Peninsula, shedding light on the diverse lifestyles of these individuals.DiscussionIntegrating our new results with other available proxies points to a multifaceted specialization in dietary patterns among these samples, influenced by factors such as habitat, resource selection, and available technology. By contextualizing the results within the broader context of the Iberian Peninsula, this research discerns shared characteristics and distinctive adaptations in the dietary practices and subsistence strategies of these groups. Ultimately, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the intricate interplay between culture and environment in shaping human diets throughout late Prehistory.

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Section: Contextualizing the Dietary Practices Of These Farming And L...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Eating through time: Understanding dietary practices across late prehistory in the northeastern Iberian Peninsula

Hernando,

Moreno‐Ibáñez,

Carbonell

et al. 2024

American Journal of Biological Anthropology

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“…However, the possibility cannot be excluded that such a cover was simply meant to make the object beautiful. As an analogy, beads were covered with pine resin in the Iberian Peninsula in the 3rd-2nd millennium BC, interpreted as a method to give otherwise ordinary beads a luxurious and appreciated amber-look (Odriozola et al 2019), and similarly red ochre was used to decorate ceramic vessels, e.g. in Poland (Borowski 2017) but also in Estonia (Kriiska 1995, 55).…”

Section: Ritual or Ordinary Object?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Stone Age imitation of a slotted bone point from Pärnu River (south-western Estonia)

Jonuks¹,

Chen²,

Kriiska³

et al. 2023

EJA

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This is an in-depth study of a mimicked slotted point, carved from a cervid longbone, found in the lower reaches of the Pärnu River. The 3D digital model, created during this study, provides an interactive and innovative tool for studying the object in detail. The AMS dating places the artefact at the very beginning of human habitation in the present-day territory of Estonia. SEM-EDS, ATR-FT-IR and GC-FID/MS analyses demonstrate that this unique Stone Age imitation of slotted bone point from Pärnu River object was probably originally partially covered with a mixture of red ochre and some coniferous resin, possibly as hafting adhesive. As this is a detailed replica of a slotted point, it also demonstrates how people themselves saw slotted points in the Early Mesolithic, also raising the question of the purpose of this replica -was it an ordinary arrowhead or rather a ritual object?

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“…In later periods, resin and tar appear to have been used as a decorative feature (e.g. Odriozola et al 2019; Rageot et al 2021). It is unclear how extensive this practice was in prehistory; it is possible that with closer attention we may find a greater number of examples.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Material and Sensory Experiences of Mesolithic Resinous Substances

Little

Needham²,

Langley³

et al. 2022

CAJ

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Mesolithic resinous adhesives are well known for their role as hafting mastic within composite technologies, yet it is increasingly clear that their usage was more diverse than this. Birch-bark tar has been recovered from Mesolithic contexts as chewed lumps linked to medicinal treatment of toothache and oral diseases, and as a decorative element on ornaments and art objects; and an amorphous resinous substance possibly derived from pine or spruce resin has been found within a burial context. This diversity of applications suggests that resins and tars may have been understood in different ways which did not always privilege their mechanical functionality. To underscore the limited archaeological perspective of conifer resins and tars as hafting agents, we draw on data sourced from a wide range of ethnographically documented societies, demonstrating the array of economic and social functions these materials have for contemporary hunter-gatherer groups. Using archaeological case studies, we illustrate how a deeper understanding of the material and sensory properties of resins and tars, and the trees from which they are derived, opens new insights into the diverse roles resinous materials performed within Mesolithic worldviews.

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Amber imitation? Two unusual cases of Pinus resin-coated beads in Iberian Late Prehistory (3rd and 2nd millennia BC)

Cited by 7 publications

References 28 publications

Eating through time: Understanding dietary practices across late prehistory in the northeastern Iberian Peninsula

Eating through time: Understanding dietary practices across late prehistory in the northeastern Iberian Peninsula

Stone Age imitation of a slotted bone point from Pärnu River (south-western Estonia)

Material and Sensory Experiences of Mesolithic Resinous Substances

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