The Early Neolithic at the Muge Shellmiddens (Portugal): Analysis and Review of the Ceramic Evidence from Cabeço da Amoreira

Abstract

This article, on the Early Neolithic pottery from the Cabeço da Amoreira shellmidden in the Muge region of central Portugal, presents a detailed review of the evidence to date and a systematic analysis of the decorative and mineralogical characteristics of the stratified and radiocarbon-dated ceramic assemblage. A homogenous pottery manufacturing tradition seems to be present right from the beginning, including both local and non-local ceramics. The authors formulate a working hypothesis on the geographic origin of the exogenous pottery, which contributes to the discussion of the dynamics of mobility and social networks in the Neolithization of south-western Europe.

NeoNet Atlantic. Radiocarbon Dates for the Late Mesolithic/Early Neolithic Transition in the Southern European Atlantic Coast

“…On the Atlantic coasts, hunter-gatherer-fishermen persisted until later periods, maintaining a mixed economy of marine and terrestrial resources, while the onset of farming was delayed in this area [5,6]. The role of local forager communities in the diffusion and adoption of domesticated plants and animals has been a subject of extensive discussion [7,8].Today, most scholars agree that on the Southern European Atlantic coast a mosaic of Neolithisation scenarios occurred, with a certain cultural and genetic integration between Mesolithic and Neolithic populations after the initial arrival of exogenous farming groups from the western Mediterranean basin [9,10,11,12,13]. The slower pace of the Neolithisation process, the adaptability and resilience of local huntergatherer communities, and the different climatic and environmental conditions made the Meso-Neolithic transition more apparent, archaeologically speaking, in this area compared to the Mediterranean shores [14].…”