183
Antequera, 2013; Tarrús, 2002). Apparently, this stage ended when the trade networks collapsed (Morell Rovira et al., 2018).
Interestingly for our purpose, although most of the necropoles tend to be rather
small (4–5 graves), large numbers of remains (>650 bodies) have been recovered
from a number of sites in the Catalonian coast, for the orientation of which we have
qualitative information (Morell Rovira et al., 2018). The largest of these sites is
Bòbila-Madurell (Plasencia Figueroa, 2016). This is the largest necropolis of this
period in Catalonia to date. In several areas the excavators have recovered the
remains of more than 150 individuals, always buried in a flexed lateral position. The
remains have been dated from 4100 to 3660 cal BC, and therefore immediately predate the appearance of the megalithic chambers.
The communities in the Pyrenees valleys, according to their material culture,
seem to be of the same cultural phase. The burials in this area consist of stone boxes,
instead of pits, formed by slabs defining a rectangular space often buried under a
tenuous tumulus (see e.g. Morell Rovira et al., 2018; Remolins et al., 2018). These
stone boxes started to be built slightly after the start of the pits culture, but lasted for
almost the same period, and they contained similar types and kinds of deposited
artefacts, suggesting that this period formed the first phase of occupation in these
areas by a Neolithic culture.
The bodies normally lay on their left side; the head is always placed towards the
NE with their feet towards the SW (Plasencia Figueroa, 2016). However, in the few
reports found for the stone boxes we can deduce that the situation was much more
varied, with orientations towards the N-S or SE-NW (Remolins et al., 2018). We do
not have direct and precise measurements based on Archaeoastronomical survey
standards, but these general indications may suffice for our current purposes.
Closer to the Hechicera area (c. 35 km to the east), we find the Los Cascajos
funerary area (indicated with a white star in Fig. 6). This is located near the Los
Arcos community in Navarra. It is one of the first places where the Neolithic is
clearly identified in this area (phase I, 4435–3700 cal BC) lasting possibly until the
mid-fourth millennium BC (García Gazólaz et al., 2011).
The archaeologists recovered traces of a settlement plus a number of burials in
nearly circular pits. Possibly an expansion of the pit burial culture to the Ebro valley,
it presents 32 individuals, together with several grave goods and material remains
(e.g. sickle flint, decorated ceramics, a small bottle and a necklace; García Gazólaz
& Sesma-Sesma 2007). The recovered bodies appeared mostly flexed over their left
side with the head towards the SE or SW (García Gazólaz & Sesma-Sesma 2007;
García Gazólaz et al., 2011; see also Rojo Guerra et al., 2016). Interestingly, the
general orientation (broadly N-S) is the same as in the coast, but here the head is
placed opposite to the Catalonian pits.
We could therefore argue that together with the material custom, the burial practice included not only the pits and grave goods, but also the general way the bodies
were laid down and this also pertained on how they were oriented. Such orientation,
curiously enough is qualitatively the same in the orientations of the megalithic
chambers of the posterior phase, and the bodies found inside, are also deposited
Diachrony and the Big Picture: Chabola de la Hechicera, a Peculiar Orientation…
Antequera, 2013; Tarrús, 2002). Apparently, this stage ended when the trade networks collapsed (Morell Rovira et al., 2018).
Interestingly for our purpose, although most of the necropoles tend to be rather
small (4–5 graves), large numbers of remains (>650 bodies) have been recovered
from a number of sites in the Catalonian coast, for the orientation of which we have
qualitative information (Morell Rovira et al., 2018). The largest of these sites is
Bòbila-Madurell (Plasencia Figueroa, 2016). This is the largest necropolis of this
period in Catalonia to date. In several areas the excavators have recovered the
remains of more than 150 individuals, always buried in a flexed lateral position. The
remains have been dated from 4100 to 3660 cal BC, and therefore immediately predate the appearance of the megalithic chambers.
The communities in the Pyrenees valleys, according to their material culture,
seem to be of the same cultural phase. The burials in this area consist of stone boxes,
instead of pits, formed by slabs defining a rectangular space often buried under a
tenuous tumulus (see e.g. Morell Rovira et al., 2018; Remolins et al., 2018). These
stone boxes started to be built slightly after the start of the pits culture, but lasted for
almost the same period, and they contained similar types and kinds of deposited
artefacts, suggesting that this period formed the first phase of occupation in these
areas by a Neolithic culture.
The bodies normally lay on their left side; the head is always placed towards the
NE with their feet towards the SW (Plasencia Figueroa, 2016). However, in the few
reports found for the stone boxes we can deduce that the situation was much more
varied, with orientations towards the N-S or SE-NW (Remolins et al., 2018). We do
not have direct and precise measurements based on Archaeoastronomical survey
standards, but these general indications may suffice for our current purposes.
Closer to the Hechicera area (c. 35 km to the east), we find the Los Cascajos
funerary area (indicated with a white star in Fig. 6). This is located near the Los
Arcos community in Navarra. It is one of the first places where the Neolithic is
clearly identified in this area (phase I, 4435–3700 cal BC) lasting possibly until the
mid-fourth millennium BC (García Gazólaz et al., 2011).
The archaeologists recovered traces of a settlement plus a number of burials in
nearly circular pits. Possibly an expansion of the pit burial culture to the Ebro valley,
it presents 32 individuals, together with several grave goods and material remains
(e.g. sickle flint, decorated ceramics, a small bottle and a necklace; García Gazólaz
& Sesma-Sesma 2007). The recovered bodies appeared mostly flexed over their left
side with the head towards the SE or SW (García Gazólaz & Sesma-Sesma 2007;
García Gazólaz et al., 2011; see also Rojo Guerra et al., 2016). Interestingly, the
general orientation (broadly N-S) is the same as in the coast, but here the head is
placed opposite to the Catalonian pits.
We could therefore argue that together with the material custom, the burial practice included not only the pits and grave goods, but also the general way the bodies
were laid down and this also pertained on how they were oriented. Such orientation,
curiously enough is qualitatively the same in the orientations of the megalithic
chambers of the posterior phase, and the bodies found inside, are also deposited
Diachrony and the Big Picture: Chabola de la Hechicera, a Peculiar Orientation…