Neolithic faunal resources in the center of the Iberian Peninsula. New evidence from El Mar (Meco, Spain)

Abstract

The zooarchaeological evidence available for the Neolithic in the Iberian Peninsula is mostly condensed in the Mediterranean area, from Catalonia to Cádiz, and the Cantabrian area. This leaves an extensive region with little known evidence. The entire central zone of the Iberian Peninsula, specifically the Middle Tagus Valley, is a region for which there is not much information on the fauna uses. The reasons behind this gap are diverse, so any discovery in this region is relevant to expanding the available data. This paper presents the findings of a new archaeological site discovered during the last few years. El Mar, located in Meco (Madrid) offers evidence of cow and sheep domestication. And, thus, joins the existing zooarchaeological record for other nearby sites in the Middle Tagus Valley in the center of the Iberian Peninsula.