Sequence and context for the Cocina cave neolithic pottery: An approach from social networks analysis

Abstract

Cocina cave has been considered one of the main sites when explaining the transition from Mesolithic to Neolithic in the Iberian Mediterranean façade. But the current review of its stratigraphy has evidenced important post-depositional disturbances affecting those layers where Neolithic pottery is present. These taphonomic problems question the usefulness of this record in any detailed approach to a potential process of acculturation of the local Mesolithic groups.Despite this negative preservation, and using decorative traits as a proxy, we have isolated two ceramic contexts with inner coherence. Over these contexts, we have developed a Bayesian approach to compare them with other well-dated regional contexts. To contextualise the obtained sequence, we decided to extend the analysis to a wide set of Neolithic known contexts from an area that covers most of the coastal Iberian Mediterranean region, from the Ebro basin in the North to the Segura basin in the South. These contexts have been organised in chronological windows, and a Social Networks Analysis (SNA) has been applied. Results confirm the insertion of Cocina in the regional Neolithic dynamics. After the first stage, with an important degree of cultural homogeneity, the analysis also outlines the existence of a cultural frontier among Neolithic groups North and South of the Xúquer basin, at least from the mid-seventh millennium cal BP.