Inside the palimpsest: identifying short occupations in the 497D level of Cova Gran (Iberia)

Abstract

The identification of short-term occupations is a key topic in the discussion of prehistoric hunter-gatherers settlement patterns. These short-stays can conceal a rich behavioural and organizational record. However, the effect of site formation processes hampers the individualization of spatio/temporal clusters in the archaeological record. Level 497D of Cova Gran (Southeastern Prepyrenees, Iberian peninsula) illustrates these problems, which are embedded in the visualization of short-term events. The application of contextual analyses and spatio-statistical tests allows to identify cycles of occupation/abandonment/reuse, denoting internal and temporal diachrony. This scenario implies that 497D level was the result of a series of undefined and successive short-term occupations.