Mining at Pozarrate: applying experimental approaches to understand the Neolithic extraction of flint in the Sierra de Araico (Treviño, ES)

Abstract

The aim of this communication is to introduce the scientific works performed in the Sierra de Araico Neolithic Mining Complex, mainly located in the Treviño enclave of Spain, in the Basque-Cantabrian Basin, between Burgos and Álava provinces. This site is unique since it has been used from Prehistory to nowadays to intensively dig out high-quality flint cores. This type of Flint, called Treviño, has had a wide circulation in archaeological sites of the Cantabrian Mountains and Western Pyrenees. The interdisciplinary research applied to this site involves LiDAR prospecting and geological, procurement, typological, technological and functional research related to flint blanks and different mining tools manufactured on the local flint. The research also includes the study of other raw materials, as hammer stone of ophite and antler picks. Different experimentations, related to the comprehension of mining processes, has been carriedout in order to clarify the archaeological findings of the site. Particularly, we present the results of (1) an experiment on flint changes produced by contact with fire and (2) an experimentation on the replication, utility and uselife of hammer stone to dig out the flint cores.