Amber Sources and Trade in the Prehistory of the Iberian Peninsula

作者：Murillo Barroso Mercedes^*; Martinon Torres Marcos

来源：European Journal of Archaeology, 2012, 15(2): 187-216.

DOI：10.1179/1461957112Y.0000000009

• amber
• long-distance trade
• prehistory
• FTIR
• Iberian peninsula

The use of amber is documented in the Iberian peninsula since the Palaeolithic. The procurement and trade of this fossil resin has often been considered in discussions of long-distance trade and the emergence of social complexity, but so far no comprehensive view of the Iberian evidence has been produced to allow a more overarching interpretive model. This paper presents the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) characterization of archaeological amber from three Iberian prehistoric sites: a necklace recovered from the megalithic site of Palacio III (Almaden de la Plata, Sevilla), a pommel from PP4 Montelirio (Valencina de la Concepcion, Sevilla), and a necklace from the Muricecs de Cellers cave (Llimiana, Pallars Jussa, Lleida). Based on these new data and a review of the literature, we present an overview that outlines fluctuations in the use of amber since the Upper Palaeolithic and demonstrates long-distance amber exchange connecting Iberia with northern Europe and the Mediterranean region since the Chalcolithic period at least. We discuss changes in the origins and cultural use of amber and their implications for the consolidation of trade networks.

• 出版日期2012-8