Management of residues and natural resources at San Cristóbal rock-shelter: Contribution to the characterisation of chalcolithic agropastoral groups in the Iberian Peninsula

Use of the space and settlement patterns at the deposit of San Cristobal are characterised. Anthropogenic activities at the site are revealed through an interdisciplinar approach based on microstratigraphic and palaeobotanical studies. Correlation of micromorphological, silica phytolith, charcoal, pollen and non-pollen palynomorph analyses and calcitic pseudomorph and faecal pherulite
quantification are coupled with excavation data and macroscopic observations.
Results provide insights into livestock keeping practices at the rock-shelter, animal feeding strategies, management of residues and occupation mode of the site. They also contribute to reconstruct the formation processes of the deposits and to outline the ecological frame of the site during its use as herding facility over the Chalcolithic. The immediate chrono-cultural context of the investigated sequence is outlined allowing discussion on the possible role of the activities at the rock-shelter in the territorial organisation of local early agropastoral groups at the time of megalithism development.
From a methodological point of view this work shows that high-resolution sedimentary contextualisation of archaeological remains is essential to build up more accurate and reliable interpretations on livestock management and the use of natural resources in prehistoric deposits.
It also highlights the contribution of excavation strategies adapted to the particularities ofpen deposits to better understand the archaeological evidence of early pastoral practices in cave and rock-sheltersduring fieldwork.