5500 cal BC. Practically all the known sites are situated outside the central part of
the mountain range. The most representative are Cueva de Chaves in the Sierra de
Guara (Aragon), the open-air settlement of Font de Ros (Berga, Catalonia) and
Dourgne II rock-shelter, at the head of the Aude Valley, in France. All of these are
in areas at a medium altitude, in the valleys, at between 200 and 700 m a.s.l.
(Guilaine et al. 1993).
At this time, Cueva de Chaves was a stable settlement, characterised by its
mixed subsistence based on crops and livestock, complemented with small contributions from hunting and gathering (Mazzucco et al. 2015). It is an ancient
settlement, with a series of occupations dated from 5700 to 5000 cal BC, attesting
an early Neolithisation of the outer ranges in the Pre-Pyrenees (Baldellou 2011;
Mazzucco 2014). The cave probably mainly served as a place of human habitation
as testified by the several hearths, pits and the other dwelling structures recovered.
Palaeoenvironmental data suggest that human activity altered the surroundings of
the cave by clearing land for pastures and crops in an area of mixed pine and oak
woodland (López–García and López–Sáez 2000). The abundant archaeozoological
evidence shows that domestic ovicaprids, and pigs and cattle in smaller proportions,
were consumed inside the cave.
The small rock-shelter of Dourgne II is located at 710 m altitude in Roc de
Dourgne. The excavations in the late 1970s and early 1980s revealed an occupation
sequence dated between 6700 and 3500 cal BC (Guilaine et al. 1987). The start of
the Neolithic occupations was dated to 5300 cal BC. Several hearths and areas for
lithic debitage were documented, in addition to silos re-used as waste pits. The
subsistence evidence indicates a predominance of the use of domestic and wild
fauna: together with livestock of ovicaprids and pigs, hunting wild boar was
important in the different occupations. Unlike Cueva de Chaves, human activity did
not significantly alter the environment of mixed woodland (Pinus sylvestris,
Corylus sp., Juniperus sp., Taxus sp., Tilia sp. and Prunus sp.). Evidence of farming
activity in the surrounding area was not documented either.
The site of La Font de Ros is situated on the outskirts of Berga (Barcelona), in
the contact zone between the outer Pre-Pyrenean ranges and the central Catalan
depression, at about 650 m altitude. Remains of several dwellings and storage
structures, belonging to both the Mesolithic and Neolithic, were documented in an
area of over 1000 m
2 . The latter were dated from 5500 to 4800 cal BC. The
conservation of osseous remains was very poor although some domestic species
were identified. In contrast, domestic cereals were recovered, mainly dressed barley
(Hordeum vulgare) and emmer (Triticum dicoccum). Other sites dated in the early
Neolithic are Balma del Serrat del Pont (in Girona) (Alcalde et al. 2005) and the
crock shelters of Hueso Raso and Forcas I and II (Utrilla and Mazo 2007). At
Forcas II was found what might be the earliest evidence of pottery in the
Pre-Pyrenees, in a stratum dated between 5990 and 5670 cal BC. However, proof of
a Neolithic economy, with signs of domesticated animals and plants, did not appear
until about 5500 cal BC.
Until recently, Balma Margineda was the only site dated in the sixth-millennium
cal BC in the central Pyrenees (Guilaine et al. 1985). Excavations in the
4 The Beginning of High Mountain Occupations in the Pyrenees …
85
the mountain range. The most representative are Cueva de Chaves in the Sierra de
Guara (Aragon), the open-air settlement of Font de Ros (Berga, Catalonia) and
Dourgne II rock-shelter, at the head of the Aude Valley, in France. All of these are
in areas at a medium altitude, in the valleys, at between 200 and 700 m a.s.l.
(Guilaine et al. 1993).
At this time, Cueva de Chaves was a stable settlement, characterised by its
mixed subsistence based on crops and livestock, complemented with small contributions from hunting and gathering (Mazzucco et al. 2015). It is an ancient
settlement, with a series of occupations dated from 5700 to 5000 cal BC, attesting
an early Neolithisation of the outer ranges in the Pre-Pyrenees (Baldellou 2011;
Mazzucco 2014). The cave probably mainly served as a place of human habitation
as testified by the several hearths, pits and the other dwelling structures recovered.
Palaeoenvironmental data suggest that human activity altered the surroundings of
the cave by clearing land for pastures and crops in an area of mixed pine and oak
woodland (López–García and López–Sáez 2000). The abundant archaeozoological
evidence shows that domestic ovicaprids, and pigs and cattle in smaller proportions,
were consumed inside the cave.
The small rock-shelter of Dourgne II is located at 710 m altitude in Roc de
Dourgne. The excavations in the late 1970s and early 1980s revealed an occupation
sequence dated between 6700 and 3500 cal BC (Guilaine et al. 1987). The start of
the Neolithic occupations was dated to 5300 cal BC. Several hearths and areas for
lithic debitage were documented, in addition to silos re-used as waste pits. The
subsistence evidence indicates a predominance of the use of domestic and wild
fauna: together with livestock of ovicaprids and pigs, hunting wild boar was
important in the different occupations. Unlike Cueva de Chaves, human activity did
not significantly alter the environment of mixed woodland (Pinus sylvestris,
Corylus sp., Juniperus sp., Taxus sp., Tilia sp. and Prunus sp.). Evidence of farming
activity in the surrounding area was not documented either.
The site of La Font de Ros is situated on the outskirts of Berga (Barcelona), in
the contact zone between the outer Pre-Pyrenean ranges and the central Catalan
depression, at about 650 m altitude. Remains of several dwellings and storage
structures, belonging to both the Mesolithic and Neolithic, were documented in an
area of over 1000 m
2 . The latter were dated from 5500 to 4800 cal BC. The
conservation of osseous remains was very poor although some domestic species
were identified. In contrast, domestic cereals were recovered, mainly dressed barley
(Hordeum vulgare) and emmer (Triticum dicoccum). Other sites dated in the early
Neolithic are Balma del Serrat del Pont (in Girona) (Alcalde et al. 2005) and the
crock shelters of Hueso Raso and Forcas I and II (Utrilla and Mazo 2007). At
Forcas II was found what might be the earliest evidence of pottery in the
Pre-Pyrenees, in a stratum dated between 5990 and 5670 cal BC. However, proof of
a Neolithic economy, with signs of domesticated animals and plants, did not appear
until about 5500 cal BC.
Until recently, Balma Margineda was the only site dated in the sixth-millennium
cal BC in the central Pyrenees (Guilaine et al. 1985). Excavations in the
4 The Beginning of High Mountain Occupations in the Pyrenees …
85