Lithics from the lower gallery at La Garma (Zone IV): new data for an understanding of a Magdalenian site Adriana Chauvin, Miguel Ángel Fano, Antonio Tarriño, Juan Gibaja, Marián Cueto, Luis Teira, Roberto Ontañón, Pablo Arias Journal of Archaeological Science Reports, 2026 • Lithic industry provides key information for understanding the Magdalenian occupation in Zon IV. • A technological analysis of the retouched and unretouched artefacts is carried out. • The study of the raw materials suggests a long-distance circulation. • Technological and raw material analysis reinforces the interpretation of symbolic activities in Zone IV The lithic assemblage recovered from Zone IV in the Lower Gallery at La Garma (Cantabria, Spain) is described in terms of raw material procurement (provenance of materials and the relative presence of different flint varieties within the chaîne opératoire ), reduction sequences and retouching activities conducted in situ , and the interaction of the lithic implements in the assemblage with other categories of archaeological remains such as hide, hard animal matter and plants. This paper presents key information for understanding in greater detail the nature of the Magdalenian occupation in Zone IV, which is exceptional due to its state of preservation. The results are discussed within the context of the archaeological complex of La Garma, using a contemporaneous Magdalenian occupation at La Garma A as a comparative element. Finally, lithic technology evidence from Zone IV is evaluated in relation to the Middle Magdalenian in Cantabrian Spain as a whole.
Use-wear analysis of lithic tools from the megalithic cemetery of Panoría (Granada, Spain) Juan F. Gibaja, Gonzalo Aranda-Jiménez, Margarita Sánchez-Romero, Miriam Vílchez-Suárez, Paula Becerra-Fuello, Marta Díaz-Zorita Bonilla, Lara Milesi-García Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2026 In southeastern Iberia use-wear analyses have not been explored as a proxy for a better understanding of the social, economic and cultural meanings of prehistoric lithic tools. The recent excavation of nine dolmens in the Panoría cemetery (3600 − 2100 cal BC), four of them largely undisturbed, offers an excellent opportunity for a fine-grained study of lithic grave goods. Blades, arrowheads and geometric microliths were the types of objects selected to be deposited at the Panoría dolmens. Use-wear analysis shows the deposition of blades previously used in farming and textile activities or with no evidence of use but in optimal working conditions. Arrowheads and microliths use-wear indicate their use as projectiles. However, some arrowheads are also found without use-wear, probably having been specifically crafted for ritual purposes, especially those with extremely developed barbs. Cross-referencing lithic typology, frequency and use-wear from each tomb with the osteological analysis reveals a positive correlation between the activities identified by the blade use-wear analysis and the intense physical effort evidenced by musculoskeletal stress markers. In contrast, there is a negative correlation between the projectiles and traumatic injuries. Lithic tools found at Panoría can be linked to different social realms, from daily activities to more restricted ritual purposes.
The lacustrine settlement of Dispilio (Lake Kastoria, Northern Greece): An approach to economic and craft activities through a functional study of lithic tools Juan F. Gibaja, Bogdana Milić, Angeliki Kita, Tasos Bekiaris, Niccolò Mazzucco, Kostas Kotsakis Journal of Archaeological Science Reports, 2025 • Dispilio is a lacustrine Neolithic site with exceptional conservation of archaeological materials. • New researches attest a longer occupation of the site. From early Neolithic to Last Neolithic. • It is one of the most important sites of the Mediterranean to understand the Neolithic expansion towards Europe. • Subsistence activities are approached by means of use-wear analysis on stone tools. The aim of this paper is to examine the economic and craft activities of the Neolithic communities that inhabited Dispilio (Lake Kastoria, Northern Greece) through use-wear and technological analysis of chipped stone tools. Dispilio, an exceptionally well-preserved lacustrine settlement, provides a crucial case study for understanding lithic tool use over time. This study presents the first detailed investigation of chipped stone tools from its Middle and Late Neolithic occupation (second half of the 6th millennium BCE), shedding light on diachronic patterns in tool production and function. By analysing morphology, technology, and use-wear traces, this study explores the role of chipped stone artefacts in subsistence strategies, craft activities, and broader economic practices. The results highlight continuities and changes in tool use over time, offering key insights into the technological choices and adaptive strategies of fully developed Neolithic societies.
Technological and functional analyses of late Mesolithic and early Neolithic lithic assemblages from Riparo Gaban (Trento, Italy) Juan F. Gibaja, Fabio Santaniello, Stefano Grimaldi, Maurizio Zambaldi, Niccolò Mazzucco, Annaluisa Pedrotti Journal of Archaeological Science Reports, 2025 • Riparo Gaban has long been recognised as both a Mesolithic and Neolithic settlement. • It stands as one of the few Mediterranean sites where the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition can be thoroughly evaluated. • Exploring the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition through shifts in technical traditions. • Evaluating tools and activities uniquely characteristic of the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods. • Subsistence activities are investigated through use-wear analysis of stone tools. The transition between the last Mesolithic hunter-gatherers and the first agropastoral Neolithic communities is a highly debated topic in prehistoric archaeology. Riparo Gaban (Northeast Italy) is a key site to unravel this fundamental turning point in human history because it is one of the few archaeological contexts in Mediterranean Europe where occupations from both periods are stratigraphically recorded. This study focuses on understanding the Meso-Neo transition process through lithic tool analysis. It addresses the raw material and the technology applied to lithic tool production and the subsistence and craft activities to which the tools were allocated, through functional analysis. The results demonstrate that, apart from certain distinctly Neolithic tools such as the Ripabianca burins, the use of specific knapping techniques like pressure flaking, and the increased presence of certain types of flint, the toolkit from Riparo Gaban shows no significant differences between the Late Mesolithic levels and the early Neolithic levels. Similarly, the activities identified through functional analysis also show little variation. These findings suggest that the model of new Neolithic settlements did not always bring substantial changes in economic structures, technical traditions, or craft activities compared to those of the last hunter-gatherer groups. The scenarios during this transitional period must have been highly diverse across Europe and the Mediterranean Basin.
Tracing the emergence of domesticated grapevine in Italy Mariano Ucchesu, Sarah Ivorra, Vincent Bonhomme, Thierry Pastor, Biancamaria Aranguren, Gianluigi Bacchetta, Giovanna Bosi, Andrea Cardarelli, Anna Depalmas, Gianni de Zuccato, Assunta Florenzano, Juan Francisco Gibaja-Bao, Marta Mariotti Lippi, Niccolò Mazzucco, Anna Maria Mercuri, Mario Mineo, Miria Mori Secci, Renato Nisbet, Gianluca Pellacani, Paola Perazzi, Mauro Rottoli, Luciano Salzani, Marco Sarigu, Alessandro Usai, Laurent Bouby Plos One, 2025 This study presents an extensive analysis of 1,768 well-preserved waterlogged archaeological grape pips covering approximately 7000 years of history. These samples originate from 25 Italian archaeological sites spanning from the Early Neolithic (6th millemmium BC) to the Medieval period (8th-14th centuries AD). Employing geometric morphometrics and linear discriminant analyses, we compared these archaeological grape pips with modern reference collections to differentiate between wild and domestic grape types. Additionally, we analysed phenotypic changes in grape pip length and shape over the studied period to the present day to highlight traits associated with domestication syndrome. During the Early Neolithic, no evidence of morphologically domesticated grapes was observed. Data from Early Bronze Age sites (ca. 2050–1850 BC) display the same trend observed for the Early Neolithic period. The Middle Bronze Age sites (ca. 1600–1300 BC) continue to exhibit a predominance of wild grape pips. However, a notable transition occurs at the end of the Late Bronze Age (ca. 1300–1100 BC), with the majority of grape pips classified as domestic, indicating the definitive establishment of cultivation practices and selection of domestic grape by these communities. In the Iron Age, grape pips from Etruscan sites dating to the 4th century BC are predominantly domestic, suggesting an advanced viticulture for this period. During the Roman period (1st-6th centuries AD), some sites exhibited a high presence of domestic grape pips and intermediate forms between wild and domestic morphotypes, suggesting introgression between local wild and domestic grape allowing the formation of new varieties. Finally, the Medieval period (8th-14th centuries AD) sites demonstrate a widespread prevalence of domestic grape pips across archaeological sites, indicating a reduction of intermediate forms between wild and domestic morphotypes and displaying morphometric characteristics entirely similar to modern domestic grape references. Overall, our study provides valuable insights into the evolution of grapevine cultivation in Italy, highlighting the gradual transition from wild to domesticated types over millennia.
An approach to the activities carried out during the early Neolithic in the Cova del Vidre (Roquetes, Tarragona) through the technological and functional analysis of the stone tools Juan F. Gibaja, Ivan Gironès-Rofes, Josep Bosch Pyrenae, 2025 La Cova del Vidre constituye uno de los asentamientos de alta montaña más relevantes del noreste de la península ibérica. Y es que es uno de los pocos contextos del Mediterráneo occidental donde se documentan ocupaciones del Mesolítico e inicios del Neolítico. El presente artículo se centra en el estudio morfotecnológico y funcional del utillaje lítico tallado. Los resultados obtenidos nos aportan información sobre los sistemas técnicos de producción, así como sobre las actividades a las que se destinaron los instrumentos. Los procesos de explotación del sílex están dirigidos a la obtención de lascas, y en menor medida, de láminas. Algunos de los productos se transforman mediante retoque en distintos soportes: muescas y denticulados sobre lascas, láminas con retoques marginales y microlitos geométricos. Tales datos nos aproximan a las actividades subsistenciales y artesanales realizadas por las comunidades que ocuparon dicha cueva. Destacan los trabajos relacionados con la caza y el procesado de materias animales.
THE END OF A ROAD. THE FIRST NEOLITHIC SICKLES DOCUMENTED IN PORTUGUESE SITES , Juan F. Gibaja, João Luís Cardoso, António Faustino Carvalho, Filipe Martins Spal, 2025 Pocas son las evidencias de agricultura vinculadas a las primeras ocupaciones neolíticas de Portugal. De hecho, la escasa conservación de restos carpológicos no ha facilitado conocer la realidad de las prácticas agrícolas en relación con las especies explotadas. En este contexto, han surgido dudas sobre el papel que esta actividad tenía entre las primeras comunidades agricultoras y pastoras. En este artículo hemos abordado el estudio de cinco asentamientos del Neolítico Antiguo con el objetivo de documentar la existencia o no de útiles tallados empleados como hoces. Los resultados confirman el uso de estos instrumentos durante este periodo y su similitud con los hallados en otros yacimientos peninsulares. Palabras Clave Portugal, Neolítico Antiguo, prácticas agrícolas, instrumentos líticos, traceología.
Working and living areas during the Early Neolithic Cardial period at Les Guixeres de Vilobí (Sant Martí Sarroca, Barcelona) Gerard Remolins, Juan F. Gibaja, Alejandro Emens, Cristian Emens, Josep Mestres, F. Xavier Oms Trabajos De Prehistoria, 2025 La continuidad de los trabajos arqueológicos en Les Guixeres de Vilobí (Sant Martí Sarroca, Barcelona), en particular la aplicación conjunta de análisis funcionales y de distribución sobre el utillaje lítico tallado, ha permitido profundizar en la comprensión de las actividades económicas y la organización de este asentamiento del Neolítico Antiguo Cardial. Se han identificado tareas relacionadas con la caza, el tratamiento de pieles, la siega de cereales, la transformación de plantas y madera, así como la producción de ornamentos. Los resultados revelan patrones de distribución significativos, con áreas específicas destinadas a la talla lítica, zonas de acumulación de residuos y espacios vacíos interpretados como estructuras fosilizadas. Este estudio ofrece una primera aproximación a la gestión del espacio y a las dinámicas de subsistencia y producción artesanal en Les Guixeres, y destaca la necesidad de integrar múltiples enfoques analíticos para afinar las interpretaciones y profundizar en el conocimiento de las comunidades neolíticas que habitaron en el noreste de la península ibérica.
Engaging the Public Through Prehistory: Experiences From an Inclusive Perspective Gerard Remolins Zamora, Juan F. Gibaja, Izaro Quevedo-Semperena, Miriam Cubas, Millán Mozota, Nidia Aliseda, Berta Morell, Marta Portillo Open Archaeology, 2025 The aim of this article is to advocate and raise awareness of the vital need for universal, barrier-free and inclusive scientific dissemination: outreach in which everyone is involved in the whole process, from the design of the activity to its assessment. It starts with some reflections and the practical process used to develop new activities and didactic tools. Three experiences with groups with difficulties in accessing knowledge are then presented. First, we describe a Neolithic cookery workshop for immigrant students with language difficulties, which enabled them to obtain a certificate of professional insertion. Second, we present an archaeological research simulator to explain the scientific method to people with different intellectual disabilities. Third, a giant board game was designed to entertain and make children undergoing cancer treatment experience the challenges of the Neolithic period. Finally, we assess the outcomes of the activities and draw some conclusions.
Interlinking research: The Big Exchange project Tim Kerig, Johanna Hilpert, Steffen Strohm, Daniel Berger, Solène Denis, Estelle Gauthier, Juan F. Gibaja, Nicole Mallet, Michele Massa, Niccoló Mazzucco, Bianca Nessel, Jacques Pelegrin, Pierre Pétrequin, Serena Sabatini, Thomas X. Schumacher, Benjamin Serbe, Toby Wilkinson Antiquity, 2023
Inclusive archaeology: 'Forgotten Groups' that empower themselves through outreach activities Juan Francisco Gibaja, Millán Mozota, Clara Masriera-Esquerra, Ariadna Nieto-Espinet, Silvia Valenzuela-Lamas, Santiago Higuera, Vanessa Guzmán, Araceli González-Vázquez, Xavier Oms, Miriam Cubas, Olga Palma, Gerard Remolins Creating Participatory Dialogue in Archaeological and Cultural Heritage Interpretation Multinational Perspectives, 2022
Iberomaurusian Lithic Assemblages at Ifri El Baroud (Northeast Morocco) Alessandro Potì, Juan Francisco Gibaja Bao, Jörg Linstädter, Abdeslam Mikdad, Mustapha Nami, Gerd-Christian Weniger Variability of Late Pleistocene and Holocene Microlithic Industries in Northern and Eastern Africa Recent Interpretations and Perspectives, 2022
The Early Neolithic tell of Vrbjanska Čuka in Pelagonia Goce Naumov, Aleksandar Mitkoski, Hristijan Talevski, Jana Anvari, Marcin Przybyła, Darko Stojanovski, Ferran Antolín, Amalia Sabanov, Ivana Živaljević, Vesna Dimitrijević, Juan F. Gibaja, Niccolò Mazzucco, Gjore Milevski, Nikola Dumurđanov, Jugoslav Pendić, Zlata Blažeska, Sofija Stefanović Prahistorische Zeitschrift, 2021
Neolithic stone slab burials (cists and chambers) in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula: A historiographical and chronological vision Bulletin De La Societe Prehistorique Francaise, 2020
Deciphering Neolithic activities from a Cardial burial site (Cova Bonica) on the western Mediterranean coast Joan Daura, Montserrat Sanz, F. Xavier Oms, Mireia Pedro, Pablo Martínez, Susana Mendiela, Mònica Oliva Poveda, Juan F. Gibaja, Millán Mozota, Mónica Alonso-Eguíluz, Rosa M. Albert, Ethel Allué, Sandra Bañuls-Cardona, Juan Manuel López-García, Francisco Javier Santos Arévalo, Josep Maria Fullola Journal of Archaeological Science Reports, 2019
Presumptive tests: A substitute for Benzidine in blood samples recognition Cláudia Gomes, César López-Matayoshi, Sara Palomo-Díez, Ana María López-Parra, Pedro Cuesta-Alvaro, Carlos Baeza-Richer, Juan F. Gibaja, Eduardo Arroyo-Pardo Forensic Science International Genetics Supplement Series, 2017
The neolithic necropolis of Feixa del Moro (Juberri, Andorra): Review and new data Bulletin De La Societe Prehistorique Francaise, 2016
Discovering prehistoric ritual norms. A machine learning approach Caa2015 Keep the Revolution Going Proceedings of the 43rd Annual Conference on Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology, 2016
The Bom santo cave (Lisbon, Portugal): Catchment, Diet, and patterns of mobility of a middle neolithic population António Faustino Carvalho, Francisca Alves-Cardoso, David Gonçalves, Raquel Granja, João Luís Cardoso, Rebecca M. Dean, Juan Francisco Gibaja, Maria A. Masucci, Eduardo Arroyo-Pardo, Eva Fernández-Domínguez, Fiona Petchey, T. Douglas Price, José Eduardo Mateus, Paula Fernanda Queiroz, Pedro Callapez, Carlos Pimenta, Frederico T. Regala European Journal of Archaeology, 2016
The Mesolithic-Neolithic transition in southern Iberia Miguel Cortés Sánchez, Francisco J. Jiménez Espejo, María D. Simón Vallejo, Juan F. Gibaja Bao, António Faustino Carvalho, Francisca Martinez-Ruiz, Marta Rodrigo Gamiz, José-Abel Flores, Adina Paytan, José A. López Sáez, Leonor Peña-Chocarro, José S. Carrión, Arturo Morales Muñiz, Eufrasia Roselló Izquierdo, José A. Riquelme Cantal, Rebecca M. Dean, Emília Salgueiro, Rafael M. Martínez Sánchez, Juan J. De la Rubia de Gracia, María C. Lozano Francisco, José L. Vera Peláez, Laura Llorente Rodríguez, Nuno F. Bicho Quaternary Research, 2012
Earliest known use of marine resources by neanderthals Miguel Cortés-Sánchez, Arturo Morales-Muñiz, María D. Simón-Vallejo, María C. Lozano-Francisco, José L. Vera-Peláez, Clive Finlayson, Joaquín Rodríguez-Vidal, Antonio Delgado-Huertas, Francisco J. Jiménez-Espejo, Francisca Martínez-Ruiz, M. Aranzazu Martínez-Aguirre, Arturo J. Pascual-Granged, M. Mercè Bergadà-Zapata, Juan F. Gibaja-Bao, José A. Riquelme-Cantal, J. Antonio López-Sáez, Marta Rodrigo-Gámiz, Saburo Sakai, Saiko Sugisaki, Geraldine Finlayson, Darren A. Fa, Nuno F. Bicho Plos One, 2011
Paleolithic Landscapes and Seascapes of the West Coast of Portugal Jonathan A. Haws, Caroline L. Funk, Michael M. Benedetti, Nuno F. Bicho, J. Michael Daniels, Thomas A. Minckley, Rhawn F. Denniston, Marjeta Jeraj, Juan F. Gibaja, Bryan S. Hockett, Steven L. Forman Interdisciplinary Contributions to Archaeology, 2011
Functional analysis of Neolithic lustrous pieces from the Cova de l'Or (Beniarrés, Alicante) and Cova de la Sarsa (Bocairent, Valencia) Archivo De Prehistoria Levantina, 2010
