University of Southampton OCS (beta), CAA 2012

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3D Macrowear Analysis of Sculpture techniques in the Manufacture of the Neolithic Stelae with Horns of the Serra de Mas Bonet (Vilafant, Catalonia)
Vera Moitinho de Almeida, Rafel Rosillo, Antoni Palomo

Last modified: 2012-01-10

Abstract


The construction of a large railway infrastructure in 2008 led to the discovery of a prehistoric settlement in the Serra de Mas Bonet, in the Catalan region of Alt Empordà. During the fieldworks numerous negative structures of various functions and types (cabins, lodge funds, silos, pits, among others) were documented, as well as a broad diachrony ranging from the 5th to the 2nd millennium cal BC.
The best represented occupation phase is the late Neolithic (late 4th millennium cal BC), characterized by different negative structures, as well as a good preservation of its deposits. The most unique and unparalleled known finds of such deposits are a set of stelae with carved horns on blocks of sandstone.
Our proposal is based both on formal analysis and three-dimensional study performed with a 3D structured light scanner of one of the stelae and experimental replicas, which have permitted to analyse, to describe and to compare the different types of macro traces.
At the end of this experimental project, we aim to understand the technical process used by the craftsman and associate the observed macro traces with different gestures, carving techniques and used tools.


Keywords


3D scan, Quantitative Data, Macrowear Analysis