RT journal article
T1 A multi-analytical geoarchaeological study of flint procurement strategies in southern Iberia
A1 Ramírez Amador, José Luis
A1 Molina Piernas, Eduardo
A1 Ramos Muñoz, José Francisco
A1 Domínguez Bella, Salvador
A2 Ciencias de la Tierra
A2 HistoriaGeografía y Filosofía
K1 Cathodoluminescence
K1 Cueva de Ardales
K1 Flint characterization
K1 Geoarchaeology
K1 Raw material procurement
K1 Sima de Las Palomas
AB The study of lithic raw material procurement strategies provides critical insights into the socio-economic organization and territorial mobility patterns of prehistoric societies. This research applies a pioneering geoarchaeological approach by combining advanced analytical techniques, including polarized optical microscopy (POM), cathodoluminescence microscopy (CL), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) to characterize archaeological and geological flint samples from Ardales Cave and Sima de las Palomas in southern Iberia. The results reveal a systematic exploitation of secondary deposits in nearby fluvial terraces, within a predominantly local procurement framework, occasionally complemented by supra-regional acquisition episodes. Petrographic analysis, enhanced by cathodoluminescence images, enabled an unprecedented differentiation of flint varieties and identification of their diagenetic processes, significantly refining sourcing and characterization methods in geologically complex regions such as the Betic Cordillera. This study represents a key methodological advance in geoarchaeology, demonstrating the high potential of cathodoluminescence applied to flint analysis and establishing a robust analytical framework to interpret mobility patterns, territorial interaction, and technological resource management in prehistoric contexts.
PB Nature Research
SN 2045-2322
YR 2025
FD 2025
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/38160
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/38160
LA eng
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 08-nov-2026