Papers by Juan Antonio Sánchez Priego
Útiles de percusión tallados en el neolítico precerámico del valle alto del Éufrates (Siria) 10000-8700 cal a.C
PLOS ONE, May 17, 2023
Data on how Stone Age communities conceived domestic and utilitarian structures are limited to a ... more Data on how Stone Age communities conceived domestic and utilitarian structures are limited to a few examples of schematic and non-accurate representations of various-sized built spaces. Here, we report the exceptional discovery of the up-to-now oldest realistic plans that have been engraved on stones. These engravings from Jordan and Saudi Arabia depict 'desert kites', humanmade archaeological mega-traps that are dated to at least 9,000 years ago for the oldest. The extreme precision of these engravings is remarkable, representing gigantic neighboring Neolithic stone structures, the whole design of which is impossible to grasp without seeing it from the air or without being their architect (or user, or builder). They reveal a widely underestimated mental mastery of space perception, hitherto never observed at this level of accuracy in such an early context. These representations shed new light on the evolution of human discernment of space, communication, and communal activities in ancient times.
Discovery and excavation of desert kites in the south-eastern Badia of Jordan
Sydney University Press eBooks, Dec 1, 2021
The oldest plans to scale of humanmade mega-structures
PLOS ONE
Data on how Stone Age communities conceived domestic and utilitarian structures are limited to a ... more Data on how Stone Age communities conceived domestic and utilitarian structures are limited to a few examples of schematic and non-accurate representations of various-sized built spaces. Here, we report the exceptional discovery of the up-to-now oldest realistic plans that have been engraved on stones. These engravings from Jordan and Saudi Arabia depict ‘desert kites’, humanmade archaeological mega-traps that are dated to at least 9,000 years ago for the oldest. The extreme precision of these engravings is remarkable, representing gigantic neighboring Neolithic stone structures, the whole design of which is impossible to grasp without seeing it from the air or without being their architect (or user, or builder). They reveal a widely underestimated mental mastery of space perception, hitherto never observed at this level of accuracy in such an early context. These representations shed new light on the evolution of human discernment of space, communication, and communal activities in...
A series of eight dwelling sites were discovered recently in southeastern Jordan, directly associ... more A series of eight dwelling sites were discovered recently in southeastern Jordan, directly associated with eight mass-hunting structures: desert kites. These associated sites also share a clear chronological framework, as they are all dated to the end of the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B. The archaeological material, mostly made up of abundant lithic industries, is extremely homogenous and coherent at all the sites. The excavated lithic industries from three of the eight dwelling sites are studied here. They show similarities and consist of a blade and a bifacial component of small to large-sized artefacts, in association with a large assemblage of small arrowheads of various types. On the basis of the specific characteristics of the whole lithic assemblage, a new regional techno-complex, called the "Ghassanian", is defined for these desert margins of the Fertile Crescent.
Los utiles percusion, sobre todo los tranchets, se utilizaban antes del inicio de la neolitizacio... more Los utiles percusion, sobre todo los tranchets, se utilizaban antes del inicio de la neolitizacion del Proximo Oriente. Estas herramientas formaban parte del utillaje que portaban ciertos grupos de cazadores recolectores durante sus desplazamientos. En el Xo milenio, cuando la sedentarizacion se consolida y los modos de vida cambian radicalmente, azuelas, hachas y martillos se convierten en utiles corrientes que se generalizan en todo el Levante. Se convierten en los utiles por excelencia de la neolitizacion y del Neolitico. Las herminettes de Mureybet, talladas sobre lascas de silex, son los primeros de estos utiles. Aparecen en el Natufiense final y perduran en el Khiamiense y el Horizonte PPNA. Durante mas de un milenio, caracterizan asi las industrias liticas de todos los poblados de la cultura Mureybetiense del valle del Eufrates en Siria: Mureybet, Cheikh Hassan, Jerf el Ahmar y tell ‘Abr 3. Son incluso importadas o copiadas en su esencia por los grupos neoliticos alejados del...
A Late PPNB lithic assemblage associated to kite hunters from Jibal al-Khashabiyeh, southeastern Jordan
9th international conference on the PPN Chipped Ground Stone Industries of the Near East, Nov 1, 2019
La production expérimentale du feu par percussion et friction
La maîtrise du feu constitue un des événements majeurs de l’histoire de l’Humanité. La question d... more La maîtrise du feu constitue un des événements majeurs de l’histoire de l’Humanité. La question de son origine a toujours été un des grands débats de l'archéologie. En Afrique, on connaît des sites archéologiques avec des restes de sédiments rubéfiés datés entre 1,5 et 1 million d'années, mais on ne trouve pas de foyers. Il est probable que dans un premier temps les hominidés aient appris à collecter le feu naturel (incendies) et à l’utiliser pour se protéger et profiter de la lumière et d..
A Late PPNB lithic assemblage associated to kite hunters from Jibal al-Khashabiyeh, southeastern Jordan
9th international conference on the PPN Chipped Ground Stone Industries of the Near East, Nov 1, 2019
Betts, A. and van Pelt, P. (eds.), The Gazelle’s Dream. Game Drives of the Old and New Worlds. University of Sydney Press, Sydney., 2021
The Gazelle's Dream viii 10. Kites in Central Yemen Ueli Brunner 11. The ancient game traps at Gh... more The Gazelle's Dream viii 10. Kites in Central Yemen Ueli Brunner 11. The ancient game traps at Gharb Aswan and across Lower Nubia (north-east Africa) Per Storemyr 12. The desert kites of the Ustyurt Plateau
Archivo De Prehistoria Levantina, 2010
Avenida de la Fuente (Siete Aguas, Valencia): un nuevo asentamiento calcolítico en el interior va... more Avenida de la Fuente (Siete Aguas, Valencia): un nuevo asentamiento calcolítico en el interior valenciano RESUMEN: La excavación de urgencia del yacimiento de Avenida de la Fuente (Siete Aguas, Valencia), permitió descubrir un nuevo asentamiento calcolítico al aire libre con dos niveles conservados. Destaca un espacio construido con muros de piedra, asociado a suelos de ocupación, estructuras de combustión, industria lítica con puntas foliáceas de pedúnculo y aletas desarrolladas, restos cerámicos de uso cotidiano, madera carbonizada y fauna doméstica y salvaje. El análisis de los materiales líticos y cerámicos sitúa la ocupación a mediados del III milenio a.C. (en cronología calibrada). Los datos paleoambientales (travertinos) traducen un ecosistema particularmente rico en agua. Emplazamiento favorable para la instalación de una comunidad agro-pastoril en una zona hasta entonces deshabitada. PALABRAS CLAVE: Lugar habitación, III milenio a.C., estructuras piedra, industria lítica y cerámica, fauna, antracología, economía, paleoambiente, zona deshabitada. Avenida de la Fuente (Siete Aguas, Valencia): une nouvelle station chalcolithique dans l'arrière-pays valencien RÉSUMÉ : La fouille de sauvetage du site de 'Avenida de la Fuente' (Siete Aguas, Valencia) a permis de découvrir un nouvel établissement chalcolithique de plein air avec deux niveaux conservés. Il faut souligner l'existence d'un espace construit avec des murs en pierre, lié à des sols d'occupation, des structures de combustion, de l'industrie lithique avec des pointes foliacées à pédoncule et ailerons développés,
Discovery and excavation of desert kites in the south-eastern Badia of Jordan
The Gazelle’s Dream
Avenida de la Fuente (Siete aguas, Valencia): un nuevo asentamiento calcolítico en el interior valenciano
Archivo de …, 2010
Información del artículo Avenida de la Fuente (Siete aguas, Valencia): un nuevo asentamiento calc... more Información del artículo Avenida de la Fuente (Siete aguas, Valencia): un nuevo asentamiento calcolítico en el interior valenciano.
Abstract
On the Neolithic site of Jerf el Ahmar, as in the other
Mureybetian sites of the Middle ... more Abstract
On the Neolithic site of Jerf el Ahmar, as in the other
Mureybetian sites of the Middle Euphrat (Mureybet and Cheikh
Hassan), building stones with the “ shape of a cigar ” are found
in all the levels dating of the PPNA. They come from a local
limestone and were, with wood and clay, the basic building
materials of the structures. An experimentation has been carried
out to test the hypothesis suggesting that percussion tools and
flint adzes hafted to a shaft have been used for the fabrication of
these stones.
The comparison of the artefacts obtained by the experimentation
with the archaeological artefacts shows that adzes have
been largely used for the work of these stones : debitage and elaboration
of the shape of big flint flakes, hafting of blades to a
shaft and working with limestone in direct percussion.
Furthermore, it appears that adzes have also been used to
work a softer material, maybe wood. These observations raise
the question of the wide use of these tools at different phases of
the construction of the buildings : first the cutting of stones for
the walls, then the carving of wood for the frame.
SÁNCHEZ PRIEGO, J.A., MOLINA BALAGUER, Ll., CARRIÓN MARCO, Y., RUIZ PÉREZ, J.M., y MORALES, J.V. ... more SÁNCHEZ PRIEGO, J.A., MOLINA BALAGUER, Ll., CARRIÓN MARCO, Y., RUIZ PÉREZ, J.M., y MORALES, J.V. (2010): “Avenida de la Fuente (Siete Aguas, Valencia): un nuevo asentamiento calcolítico en el interior valenciano. Archivo de Pehistoria Levantina Vol. XXVIII, Valencia. Pp. 207-239.
Posters by Juan Antonio Sánchez Priego
Recently, the South-Eastern Badia Archaeological Project (SEBAP) has identified the oldest desert... more Recently, the South-Eastern Badia Archaeological Project (SEBAP) has identified the oldest desert kites (archaeological structures made of long stone lines converging towards an enclosure and pit-traps, and used as mega-traps) in the Jibal al-Khashabiyeh region, and dated around 7000 BC. Used for the mass-hunt of wild animals, they are among the most spectacular prehistoric installations in Southwest Asia. Eight dwelling sites are directly associated with these huge traps. The excavation of JKSH F15, F19 and P52 campsites revealed stratified occupation layers within drystone settlements, and yielded very specific and homogenous lithic assemblages. The newly defined “Ghassanian” techno-complex is dominated by a laminar production, as well as a distinctive bifacial component and a large variety of small arrowhead types.
In this poster, we present the results of the traceological analysis conducted on selected tools, coming from the JKSH P52 occupation soil layers. Despite frequent alterations to the tools, obtained results allowed to present the range of activities carried out at the site and to discuss relevant issues linked to the massive exploitation and processing of animal resources during the Late Pre-Pottery Neolithic B in the southern Levant.
Uploads
Papers by Juan Antonio Sánchez Priego
On the Neolithic site of Jerf el Ahmar, as in the other
Mureybetian sites of the Middle Euphrat (Mureybet and Cheikh
Hassan), building stones with the “ shape of a cigar ” are found
in all the levels dating of the PPNA. They come from a local
limestone and were, with wood and clay, the basic building
materials of the structures. An experimentation has been carried
out to test the hypothesis suggesting that percussion tools and
flint adzes hafted to a shaft have been used for the fabrication of
these stones.
The comparison of the artefacts obtained by the experimentation
with the archaeological artefacts shows that adzes have
been largely used for the work of these stones : debitage and elaboration
of the shape of big flint flakes, hafting of blades to a
shaft and working with limestone in direct percussion.
Furthermore, it appears that adzes have also been used to
work a softer material, maybe wood. These observations raise
the question of the wide use of these tools at different phases of
the construction of the buildings : first the cutting of stones for
the walls, then the carving of wood for the frame.
Posters by Juan Antonio Sánchez Priego
In this poster, we present the results of the traceological analysis conducted on selected tools, coming from the JKSH P52 occupation soil layers. Despite frequent alterations to the tools, obtained results allowed to present the range of activities carried out at the site and to discuss relevant issues linked to the massive exploitation and processing of animal resources during the Late Pre-Pottery Neolithic B in the southern Levant.