Abstract
The so-called “Mucientes is a variety that appears in the central area of the Iberian North Plateau, in the Duero Basin. It is widely known in the geological and archaeological literature and its use for knapping was especially important in Prehistory. From a macroscopic point of view it is a nodular chert, with white and very porous cortex, and brown to blackish or beige colour in the inner part. In this work we carried out a more accurate petrographic, mineralogical and chemical characterization of this lithology using SEM, XRD and XRF techniques in samples coming from “Las Canteras” (Mucientes village), a chert outcrop of the “Cuestas” Unit (V allesian-Aragonian, Miocene Age). Also, we have made a review of its geological occurrence and archaeological distribution areas. It is intended to sketch the delimitation of the geographical area of occurrence taking into account the geological and archaeological references.
Highlights
One of the best known chert types at archaeological sites in the central part of the Duero River Basin is known as Sílex de Mucientes (Mucientes chert)
The name given to this chert type comes from the town of Mucientes in the Province of Valladolid, where outcrops of this chert type have been found as well as archaeological sites connected with its use (Sánchez-Yustos & Díez-Martín 2007)
Priority was given to locating limestone beds in the “Cuestas” Unit, where the chert nodules are in a primary position
Summary
One of the best known chert types at archaeological sites in the central part of the Duero River Basin is known as Sílex de Mucientes (Mucientes chert). It has been cited in the limestone moors in this area, in the geological materials known as the “Cuestas” Unit, of Miocene age. The use of Mucientes chert for the manufacture of lithic objects in Prehistory is widely known, as shown in the appraisal carried out by Sánchez-Yustos & Díez-Martín (2007), who examined the sites cited in this area. After studying and assessing the lithic materials, they determined a series of sites dated in the Ancient Palaeolithic and in Recent Prehistory.
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