Papers by Jesús Álvarez-Sanchís
Zephyrus, 2024
Resumen: Se ha realizado un estudio arqueométrico de un conjunto de cuentas de vidrio halladas en... more Resumen: Se ha realizado un estudio arqueométrico de un conjunto de cuentas de vidrio halladas en el oppidum vetón de Ulaca-Solosancho, Ávila-. Las muestras se asocian a dos contextos, la necrópolis y el Torreón, fechados entre los ss. ii y i a. C. El objetivo principal ha sido determinar su composición química, sus características tecnológicas incluyendo los cromóforos responsables de su coloración, así como su posible procedencia geográfica y estado de conservación. Para ello, el conjunto se analizó mediante técnicas convencionales como lupa binocular, microscopía electrónica de barrido de emisión de campo-mebec-, junto con microanálisis de dispersión de energía de rayos X-eds-y espectrofotometría UV-Vis. Los resultados indican que todas las cuentas se elaboraron con un vidrio de silicato sódico cálcico de base natrón y bajo contenido de óxido de magnesio conocido como lmg-low magnesium glass-. La comparación de su composición química con la composición de otras cuentas de vidrio halladas también en contextos de la Edad del Hierro permite demostrar su posible procedencia del Mediterráneo oriental. Además, se identificó una cuenta muy alterada que no es de vidrio, sino muy probablemente de fayenza. La presencia de vidrios foráneos tanto en la necrópolis como en el Torreón sugiere que este material debió ser un bien preciado por las comunidades vetonas que habitaron Ulaca. Palabras clave: Edad del Hierro; Península Ibérica; vetones; cuentas de vidrio; cuenta de fayenza; composición química; arqueometría; tecnología.
Vacceos, vettones y lusitanos. Desperta Ferro. Arqueología e Historia, 2024
García-Peñalvo, F.J., García-Holgado, A. (eds) Proceedings TEEM 2022: Tenth International Conference on Technological Ecosystems for Enhancing Multiculturality. TEEM 2022. Lecture Notes in Educational Technology. Springer, Singapore, 2023
The research presents an interactive, stimulating and enriching methodology for the students of t... more The research presents an interactive, stimulating and enriching methodology for the students of the Archaeology Degree, using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and the application of virtual environments in the teaching-learning process. Beyond the clear benefits of virtual tours in the interpretation, dissemination and knowledge of historical sites and their surroundings, they can also mean a really useful tool in the teaching practice. In this way, the present proposal is designed to verify how the access to multi-source and spatially geolocated information allows students to acquire basic knowledge and skills to understand multi-causal historical phenomena, which also have to be located in their geographical, historical and cultural/artistic context. This fact makes these virtual tools a unique opportunity for professors to introduce them into the teaching-learning process. This contribution is thus essential to help students to contextualize the theoretical knowledge and bring them closer to the real archaeological practice, allowing them to better understand the challenges they will face in their future professional life.
Applied Sciences, 2023
Recently the incorporation of artificial intelligence has allowed the development of valuable met... more Recently the incorporation of artificial intelligence has allowed the development of valuable methodological advances in taphonomy. Some studies have achieved great precision in identifying the carnivore that produced tooth marks. Additionally, other works focused on human activity have managed to specify what type of tool or raw material was used in the filleting processes identified at the sites. Through the use of geometric morphometrics and machine learning techniques, the present
study intends to analyze the cut marks of the Ulaca oppidum (Solosancho, Ávila, Spain) in order to identify the type of tools used during carcass modification. Although the Ulaca oppidum is an Iron Age site, the results suggest that most of the cut marks were produced with flint tools.
Heritage, 2023
In the last 30 years, considerable effort has been invested in the public presentation of archaeo... more In the last 30 years, considerable effort has been invested in the public presentation of archaeological sites and, in general, in the dissemination of the heritage bequeathed to us by the pre-Roman communities of the western Iberian Peninsula. In this paper, we critically analyse the most outstanding measures implemented in this area by the different administrations and specialists involved. Similarly, we present the main initiatives undertaken in this regard in recent years by our research team within the framework of the REFIT and VETTONIA projects. Finally, we put forward ten essential proposals for future actions to achieve a more effective dissemination and management of Iron Age heritage.
Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2022
The Vettones were one of the most important Celtic peoples of the Late Iron Age in Western Iberia... more The Vettones were one of the most important Celtic peoples of the Late Iron Age in Western Iberia (between the Duero and Tagus Rivers). It is a period recognised from the spread of the cremation ritual in the cemeteries, the development of iron metallurgy, and the emergence of large fortified settlements-the characteristic oppida-that would finally be abandoned with the conquest of Hispania by Rome. Different types of evidence suggest that the Vetton economy was based on livestock. Palaeobotanical and carpological analyses reveal a major deforestation of the landscape, the conversion of large areas into pastures and cultivated fields, and the use of enclosures as cattle pens. The stone sculptures of bulls and pigs found throughout the mountainous areas of the region-the famous verracos-also reflect the value the Vettones placed on livestock. However, there have been very few studies devoted to the identification of faunal remains. In this text, we offer previously unpublished data on the animals found in the oppidum of Ulaca (Solosancho, Ávila, Spain), one of the largest in Celtic Iberia (third-first centuries BC), which we relate to other evidence from neighbouring sites. Thus, the state of the research into Vetton zooarchaeology is offered in the broader context of the Iberian Peninsula.
Who do you think you are? Ethnicity in the Iron Age Mediterranean. Edited by Fabio Saccoccio & Elisa Vecchi. Accordia Research Institute. University of London
The archaeological study of ethnicity has experienced many shifts and trends since the 19 th cent... more The archaeological study of ethnicity has experienced many shifts and trends since the 19 th century, with a diversity of approaches and conceptualisations that are also largely influenced by national traditions and the respective periods under study (Fernández-Götz 2008; Jones 1997). The late 19 th and early 20 th century saw the heyday of the so-called 'ethnic paradigm', in which many archaeologists established simplistic equations between 'people', material culture, language, and in some cases also 'race', maintaining a rather static and essentialist notion of identity (Childe 1929; Kossinna 1911). The misuses of these approaches for political purposes-most notably, although not exclusively, by the Nazi regime (cf. Arnold 2006)-led to a certain discredit and lack of interest in the ethnic question after World War II, a reaction that has been labelled the 'Kossinna syndrom' (Smolla 1979-80). This was particularly the case with the rise of processual archaeology in the English-speaking world, and much less in other archaeological traditions in Central and Eastern Europe where ethnic interpretations continued to be-implicitly or explicitly-an enduring topic. A renewed interest in identities in general, and in ethnicity in particular, can be traced to the 1980s and then more prominently in the 1990s, partly due to the development of postprocessualism and its interest in identity issues (see e.g. Jones 1997; Shennan 1989). However, it should be noted that while earlier approaches were mostly focussed on defining so-called 'tribes', more recent studies devote most of the attention to minority issues and the uses (and misuses) of the past in the present (Díaz-Andreu & Champion 1996; Rieckhoff & Sommer 2007). Where are we now? It is difficult to provide general answers, but there is a growing consensus that ethnic identities are subjective, dynamic, and situational constructs (Jones 1997; Siapkas 2003). They are socially constructed, and therefore any equation with 'race' or 'genes' needs to be rejected. Ethnicity is both an ideology and a practice (Sommer 2011: 176); it is negotiated in the continuous dialectic between objective sociocultural features and subjective experiences of identity (Hornborg & Hill 2011). In terms of definitions, the most complete attempt has probably been offered by Sian Jones (1997: xiii), who defines an ethnic group as: "any group of people who set themselves apart and/or are set apart by others with whom they interact or co-exist on the basis of their perceptions of cultural
Boletín del Museo Arqueológico Nacional, 2022
Las recensiones de libros de arqueología no han merecido mucha atención y el número de recensione... more Las recensiones de libros de arqueología no han merecido mucha atención y el número de recensiones va disminuyendo en las revistas, sobre todo considerando el incremento exponencial de lo que se publica. Se realiza un breve análisis historiográfico de la recensión como un arte venido a menos; una identificación anatómica de sus partes y las clases de recensiones, apostando por la recensión crítica y aún heterodoxa. Se consideran los problemas de su publicación en la era digital y la presión académica para multiplicar las recensiones de obras. Y, finalmente, se ofrecen argumentos sólidos para seguir escribiendo recensiones.
Arqueología de la Arquitectura, 2021
Desde 2016 venimos desarrollando prospecciones geofísicas y excavaciones arqueológicas en el oppi... more Desde 2016 venimos desarrollando prospecciones geofísicas y excavaciones arqueológicas en el oppidum de Ulaca (Solosancho, Ávila) con el objetivo de comprender mejor un edificio singular conocido como el “Torreón”. Se trata de una estructura en ruinas de planta rectangular (14 × 10 m) que debió tener una importante altura. El interés que presenta esta construcción nos ha llevado a realizar su reconstrucción virtual en 3D utilizando el software Blender 2.90. Los resultados se han concretado en nueve imágenes estáticas donde mostramos el edificio en su época de uso (ss. II-I a. C.) y su asociación con un manantial. En la reconstrucción virtual hemos conjugado distintos rasgos del edificio: arquitectónicos, de emplazamiento, de posibles funcionalidades e incorporado información etnográfica y de sistemas constructivos tradicionales. Este proyecto demuestra las capacidades interpretativas y divulgativas de las técnicas tridimensionales y, aun con todas sus limitaciones, contribuye a una mejor comprensión del pasado.
© CSIC. © UPV/EHU. Este es un artículo de acceso abierto distribuido bajo los términos de la licencia de uso y distribución "Creative Commons Reconocimiento 4.0 Internacional" (CC BY 4.0).
Trabajos de Prehistoria, 2021
En las excavaciones arqueológicas de 2004 en la necrópolis de Ulaca (Solosancho, Ávila) apareció ... more En las excavaciones arqueológicas de 2004 en la necrópolis de Ulaca (Solosancho, Ávila) apareció un askos con forma de toro. Las figuras de bóvidos y otros animales realizadas en arcilla son una manifestación modesta, pero muy significativa, de la importancia de estas especies en el marco de la Segunda Edad del Hierro. Se estudia la pieza, su contexto arqueológico y su funcionalidad. Además, se relacionan estos singulares vasos zoomorfos con el concepto de liminalidad, en sentido amplio, y el valor simbólico del toro en el occidente de la meseta.
Sensors, 2021
Citation: Maté-González, M.Á.; Sáez Blázquez, C.; Carrasco García, P.; Rodríguez-Hernández, J.; F... more Citation: Maté-González, M.Á.; Sáez Blázquez, C.; Carrasco García, P.; Rodríguez-Hernández, J.; Fernández Hernández, J.; Vallés Iriso, J.; Torres, Y.; Troitiño Torralba, L.; Courtenay, L.A.; González-Aguilera, D.; et al. Towards a Combined Use of Geophysics and Remote Sensing Techniques for the Characterization of a Singular Building: "El Torreón" (the Tower) at
Journal of Urban Archaeology, 2020
During the Late Iron Age two processes developed in Iberia: a process of growing demography and a... more During the Late Iron Age two processes developed in Iberia: a process of growing demography and a trend towards nucleated settlements. Both processes ended in the appearance of large fortified settlements (oppida), well known through archaeology and written sources. As in other areas of Europe, there were probably substantial differences between settlements, in terms of geographical setting, size, form, and function. In the end, the first cases of urbanization at the end of the Iron Age are presented as changing and multi-fac-eted entities in space and time, with similarities and unique characteristics. We discuss this process and the insights we can glean from it. Two worlds, the Mediterranean in the east and south and the Atlantic in north and west, had contacts through inland territories and navigations. The exploration of the relationships between oppida, demography, social organization, and urbanization is considered in this paper.
Journal of European Landscapes, 2020
Across Europe, landscape is recognised as a frame through which societal values are defined and e... more Across Europe, landscape is recognised as a frame through which societal values are defined and embedded. The European Landscape convention and wider research has drawn attention to the need for integrating a diverse range of stakeholders to ensure landscape sustainability. Archaeology is increasingly recognised as having an important place in integrated landscape management but often remains relatively peripheral. This paper examines the place of archaeology in specific European regions and the potential ways of integrating archaeological heritage in landscape management. Emerging from a project funded by the Joint Programme Initiative on Cultural Heritage (Resituating Europe's FIrst Towns (REFIT): A case study in enhancing knowledge transfer and developing sustainable management of cultural landscapes), we explore the place of a set of common European heritage assets, Iron Age oppida, in the management of the landscape they are a part of and how they might be used better to engage and connect stakeholders. Using four case studies, we review the present integration of archaeology within landscape management and how this operates at a local level. From this we explore what challenges these case-studies present and outline ways in which the REFIT project has sought to develop strategies to respond to these in order to enhance and promote co-productive management of these landscapes.
Enclosing Space, Opening New Ground. Iron Age Studies from Scotland to Mainland Europe (T. Romankiewicz, M. Fernández-Götz, G. Lock and O. Büchsenschütz, eds.). Oxbow Books: 153-167. Oxford and Phliladelphia. ISBN 978-1-78925-201-9 (Hardback edition), 978-1-78925-202-6 (epub) (Digital edition), 2019
Hardback Edition: ISBN 978-1-78925-201-9 Digital Edition: ISBN 978-1-78925-202-6 (epub)
Investigar el pasado para entender el presente. Homenaje al profesor Carmelo Luis López (M. Fernández, F.J. Melgosa, L. Garcinuño, G. Martín y G. del Ser Quijano, eds.) Institución Gran Duque de Alba. Diputación de Ávila: 75-90. ISBN (Tomo I): 978-84-15038-88-7, 2019
Nadie puede llevarse a engaño si decimos que el fi n de toda investigación arqueológica es dar re... more Nadie puede llevarse a engaño si decimos que el fi n de toda investigación arqueológica es dar respuesta a problemas específi cos, pero uno de los objetivos fundamentales de la arqueología debe ser divulgar sus hallazgos a la sociedad. En los últimos lustros, el profesor Carmelo Luis López, a la sazón director de la Institución Gran Duque de Alba, llevó con notable pericia e inteligencia las riendas de ese esfuerzo para acercar a los ciudadanos el rico patrimonio de Ávila y su territorio. Las líneas que siguen, en sincero homenaje y recuerdo a su persona, no habrían sido posibles de otra forma.
Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 19: 1-20, 2018
In this work, we present 16 directional and 27 intensity high-quality values from Iberia.
Algo más que galbos y cacharros. Etnoarqueología y experimentación cerámica (E. Alarcón, J. J. Padilla, L. Arboledas y L. Chapon, eds.). Menga (monográfico 4): 91-98, Granada, 2018
Algo más que galbos y cacharros. Etnoarqueología y experimentación cerámica (E. Alarcón, J. J. Padilla, L. Arboledas y L. Chapon, eds.).Menga (monográfico 4): 217-230, Granada, 2018
La Aventura de la Historia (Dossier: Iberia antes de Roma). Vol 238,: 56-59., 2018
Uploads
Papers by Jesús Álvarez-Sanchís
study intends to analyze the cut marks of the Ulaca oppidum (Solosancho, Ávila, Spain) in order to identify the type of tools used during carcass modification. Although the Ulaca oppidum is an Iron Age site, the results suggest that most of the cut marks were produced with flint tools.
© CSIC. © UPV/EHU. Este es un artículo de acceso abierto distribuido bajo los términos de la licencia de uso y distribución "Creative Commons Reconocimiento 4.0 Internacional" (CC BY 4.0).
study intends to analyze the cut marks of the Ulaca oppidum (Solosancho, Ávila, Spain) in order to identify the type of tools used during carcass modification. Although the Ulaca oppidum is an Iron Age site, the results suggest that most of the cut marks were produced with flint tools.
© CSIC. © UPV/EHU. Este es un artículo de acceso abierto distribuido bajo los términos de la licencia de uso y distribución "Creative Commons Reconocimiento 4.0 Internacional" (CC BY 4.0).