Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-mp689 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-19T17:49:33.800Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Bell Beakers in Spain and Portugal: working with radiocarbon dates in the 3rd millennium BC

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Richard J. Harrison*
Affiliation:
Department of Classics arid Archacology, University of Bristol, 11 Woodland Road, Bristol BS8 ITH

Extract

The recommended Belfast/Seattle radiocarbon calibration (Pearson 1987) coming into common use gives us ‘good’ portions, where the calibration curve has a shape that aids in refining dates, and ‘sloughs of despond’ - the periods when the shape of the curve is less helpful. Two deep sloughs arefound in the last few centuries ncand in the 3rd millennium BC. Here, a series of new determinations are presented for Bell Beakers in Spain, falling in the 3rd-millennium slough, and it is shown what can and cannot be learnt from these and their calibration.

Type
Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd 1988

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Arribas Palali, A. & Molina, F.. 1987. New Bell Beaker discoveries in the southeast Iberian peninsula, in Waldren & Kennard 1987: 12946.Google Scholar
Basabé, J.M. 1978, Estudio antropológico del yacimiento de la Atalayuela (Logróo), Principe de Viana 1523: 42378. Pamplona: Diputación Foral de Navarra.Google Scholar
Barandiarán, I. 1978. La Atalayuela: fosa de inhumación colectiva del Eneolítico en el Ebro Medio, Principe de Viana 1523: 381422. Pamplona: Diputación Foral de Navarra.Google Scholar
Bernabeu, J. 1984. El Vaso Campaniforme en ej Pais Valenciano. Valencia: Servicio de Investigación Prehistórica 80.Google Scholar
Castells, J., Enrich, J. & Enrich, J.. 1983. El tùmul I de la Sierra de Clarena, Excavions Arqueologiques a Catalunya 4: 5581.Google Scholar
Criado Boado, F. & Vazquez Varela, J.M.. 1982. La Ceramica Campaniforme en Galicia. La Corúa: Cuadernos do Seminario de Sargadelos 42.Google Scholar
Delibes, G. & Santonja, M.. 1987. Sobre la supuesta dualidad megaütísmo/campaniforme en la meseta superior espãola, in Waldren & Kennard 1987: 173206.Google Scholar
Gilman, A. 1987. Unequal development in Copper Age Iberia, in Brumfiel, E.M. & Earle, T.K. (ed.), Specialization, exchange, and complex societies: 229. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Gillespie, R. 1984. Radiocarbon user’s handbook. Oxford: Oxford University Committee for Archaeology. Handbook, Monograph 3.Google Scholar
Harrison, R.J. 1974. A closed find from Cäada Rosal and two Bell Beakers, Madrider Mitteilungen 15 : 7794.Google Scholar
Harrison, R.J. 1977. The Bell Beaker cultures of Spain and Portugal. Cambridge (MA): Harvard University Press. American School of Prehistoric Research Bulletin 35.Google Scholar
Harrison, R.J. 1980. The Beaker folk: Copper Age archaeology in western Europe. London: Thames & Hudson.Google Scholar
Harrison, R.J. 1988. Spain at the dawn of history: Iberians, Phoenicians and Greeks. London: Thames & Hudson.Google Scholar
Harrison, R.J., Moreno López, G. & Lecce, A.J.. In press. Moncín: un poblado prehistórico de la Edad del Bronce (I), Noticario Arqueológico Hispánico.Google Scholar
Lewthwaite, J, 1987. The Braudelian Beaker: a chalcolithic conjonture, in Waldren & Kennard 1987: 3160.Google Scholar
Lucas Pellicer, M.R. & Blasco Bosqued, C.. 1980. El habitat campaniforme de ’El Perchel’ en Arcos de Jalón (Soria), Noticario Arqueológico Hispánico 8: 1168.Google Scholar
Martín, A., Guilaine, J. & J. & Thommeret, Y.. 1981. Estratigrafía y dataciones C14 del yacimiento de la ’Cova del Frare’ de St. Llorenç del Munt (Matadepera, Barcelona), Zephyrus 3233: 10111.Google Scholar
Pearson, G.W. 1987. How to cope with calibration, Antiquity 61: 98103.Google Scholar
Pearson, G.W., Pilcher, J.R., Baillie, M.G.L., Corbett, D.E. & Qua, F.. 1986. High-precision measurements of Irish oaks to show the natural 14-C variations from AD 1840 to 5210 BC, in Stuiver & Kra 1986: 91134.Google Scholar
Pearson, G.W. & Stuiver, M.. 1986. High-precision calibration of the radiocarbon time scale 500–2500 BC, in Stuiver & Kra 1986: 83962.Google Scholar
Sangmeister, E. & Schubart, H.. 1981. Zambujal: die Grabungen 1964 bis 1973. Mainz am Rhein: Madrider Beiträge 5:1.Google Scholar
Stuiver, M. & Kra, R.S. (ed.). 1986. Radiocarbon calibration issue: proceedings of the twelfth International Radiocarbon Conference, June 24–28 1985, Trondheim, Norway. Radiocarbon 28 (2B).Google Scholar
Van Der Waai, S.J.D. & Glasbergen, W.. 1955. Beaker types and their distribution in the Netherlands, Palaeohistoria 4: 546.Google Scholar
Vogel, J.C., & Waterbolk, H.T.. 1972. Groningen radiocarbon dates X, Radiocarbon 14: 6110.Google Scholar
Waldren, W.H. 1987. A rose by any other name: the question of Balearic Beakers, in Waldren & Kennard 1987: 369482.Google Scholar
Waldren, W.H. & Kennard, R.C. (ed.). 1987. Bell Beakers of the western Mediterranean. Oxford: British Archaeological Reports. International Series 331.Google Scholar
Waterbolk, H.T. 1971. Working with radiocarbon dates. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 37(2): 1534.CrossRefGoogle Scholar