Trabalhos do LARC 14: Gruta do Escoural: Um estudo multidisciplinar na perspectiva da Arqueologia da Morte

14 GRUTA DO ESCOURAL: UM ESTUDO MULTIDISCIPLINAR NA PERSPECTIVA DA ARQUEOLOGIA DA MORTE 2019 LISBOA ALHOS DO LARCTRABALHOS DO LARC ALHOS DO LARC CTRAB TRAB ALHOS DO LAR Rita PEYROTEO STJERNA (PI) Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Sweden UNIARQ, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal Ana Cristina ARAÚJO (CO-PI) Laboratório de Arqueociências (LARC), DGPC; CIBIO/InBIO UNIARQ, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal Coordenação Editorial Ana Maria Costa LARC – PATRIMÓNIO CULTURAL, I.P. | ASSOCIAÇÃO BIOPOLIS - CIBIO IDL - Instituto Dom Luiz UNIARQ – CENTRO DE ARQUEOLOGIA DA UNIVERSIDADE DE LISBOA Projeto Gráfico Ana Maria Costa Data de Impressão Dezembro de 2019 Edição Laboratório de Arqueociências | LARC Divisão de Arqueologia, Territórios e Valores Ambientais | DATVA Departamento de Bens Culturais | DBC Património Cultural, Instituto Público | PC, IP Calçada do Mirante à Ajuda 10A 1300-418 LISBOA - PORTUGAL tel. (+351) 21 361 71 27 Foto de capa: Gruta do Escoural, Galeria 7, fotografia de 1963 (APMH.2.11.32.21-49). Fotografia de um dos vasos recuperado no contexto da necrópole neolítica (ADF, MM, EP). Este relatório contém dados inéditos cuja utilização e divulgação necessitará da autorização dos autores. Este trabalho foi redigido ao abrigo do AO1945/1973.! TÍTULO GRUTA DO ESCOURAL: UM ESTUDO MULTIDISCIPLINAR NA PERSPECTIVA DA ARQUEOLOGIA DA MORTE AUTOR Rita Peyroteo-Stjerna | Ana Cristina Araújo RESUMO Relatório de progresso 1/2019 do projeto PIPA: Gruta do Escoural: um estudo multidisciplinar na perspectiva da arqueologia da morte, aprovado pela Tutela a julho de 2019 Trabalhos do LARC n.º 14 Lisboa, 2019 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17843158 GRUTA DO ESCOURAL: um estudo multidisciplinar na perspective da arqueologia da morte 1 RELATÓRIO DE PROGRESSO 1/2019 PIPA GRUTA DO ESCOURAL: UM ESTUDO MULTIDISCIPLINAR NA PERSPECTIVE DA ARQUEOLOGIA DA MORTE ACRÓNIMO MorE Rita PEYROTEO STJERNA (PI) Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Sweden UNIARQ, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal [email protected] Ana Cristina ARAÚJO (CO-PI) Laboratório de Arqueociências (LARC), DGPC; CIBIO/InBIO UNIARQ, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal [email protected] INTRODUÇÃO O projecto Gruta do Escoural: um estudo multidisciplinar na perspective da arqueologia da morte foi aprovado em Julho de 2019 pela DGPC, a estrutura que tutela o património. Ao longo do seu primeiro ano de vigência (Julho 2019 – Julho 2020) foram desenvolvidas diversas iniciativas e análises sobre a Gruta e os seus espólios, respeitando tanto quanto possível o cronograma submetido como anexo ao projecto PIPA (Figura 01). Figura 01 – Cronograma apresentado como anexo ao PIPA GRUTA DO ESCOURAL: um estudo multidisciplinar na perspective da arqueologia da morte 2 Os objectivos definidos para o primeiro ano de vigência de MorE centravam-se i) na análise e estudo dos espólios atribuídos à ocupação da cavidade durante o Neolítico Antigo – uma atribuição baseada na presença de cerâmicas (componente AC) com decoração cardial e alguns micrólitos (Santos, 1971) (componente AL); ii) na análise de restos antropológicos (componente AH); iii) da indústria óssea (componente IO) e da documentação histórica (componente DH). A análise de resíduos na cerâmica neolítica e a análise traceológica aos materiais líticos de pedra lascada, programados para o primeiro trimestre de 2020, não foram realizadas devido à situação pandémica e não foi possível, ainda, re-calendarizar para os tempos mais próximos. 1. ANÁLISE DA DOCUMENTAÇÃO HISTÓRICA EXISTENTE NO MNA É uma tarefa transversal a todas as áreas disciplinares e para os investigadores do projecto MorE é de consulta e análise obrigatória. Correspondência, fotografias, notas de campo, desenhos de campo, recortes de jornal do Arquivo Pessoal Manuel Heleno (APMH) e outra documentação propriedade do MNA (inventários, por exemplo) têm sido sistematicamente consultados, analisados, interpretados, e corrigidos no decurso das análises em curso, sobretudo aos restos humanos e cultura material. A análise da documentação histórica foi este ano, e será no decorrer do projecto, fundamental para restituir, por um lado, a organização da actividade humana no interior da cavidade (considerando os planos horizontal/espaço e vertical/tempo) e, por outro, como suporte na identificação dos processos tafonómicos que terão conduzido à alteração das condições originais de deposição dos vestígios. 2. A OCUPAÇÃO DO NEOLÍTICO ANTIGO Da responsabilidade de ambas as signatárias (PI e CO-PI) e envolve ainda César Neves, Mariana Diniz e Miriam Cubas Foi analisada a componente cerâmica atribuída às primeiras ocupações neolíticas da cavidade. Foram identificados fragmentos pertencentes a cerca de 20 recipientes distintos com decoração cardial e decoração impressa e incisa não cardial. Trata-se de uma primeira estimativa e, por isso, este número deverá ser entendido como Número Mínimo de exemplares cerâmicos. Confirma-se que o conjunto cardial se concentra no que seria, à época, a parte mais recôndita da gruta (as actuais sala e galerias de entrada, que com ela contactam); as restantes cerâmicas impressas e incisas não cardiais foram documentadas, maioritariamente, junto à denominada entrada primitiva, localizada no extremo oposto. Tipos de pasta, de cozedura, formas, elementos de preensão, decorações, acabamentos, dimensões foram analisados, tendo havido algum investimento na reconstituição dos volumes cerâmicos através da colagem de fragmentos. Infelizmente, são diversos os factores que explicam o fracasso da tarefa: de origem mais antiga, relacionada com a própria prática funerária – corpos depositados à superfície e consequentemente alvo de pisoteio – e com a dinâmica do sistema cársico – precipitação de carbonatos e formação de mantos estalagmíticos que se depositam sobre os restos esqueléticos e cultura material associada – e GRUTA DO ESCOURAL: um estudo multidisciplinar na perspective da arqueologia da morte 3 de origem mais recente relacionada sobretudo com os processos de escavação e de posterior manuseamento no MNA. O Contexto cardial foi objecto de uma apresentação com Poster no 1st Conference on the EARLY NEOLITHIC of EUROPE (ENE – 2019), que teve lugar em Barcelona (6 A 8 de Novembro de 2019), tendo ganho o 1º Prémio (Figura 02): Funerary activity in the Escoural Cave, Portugal. Did it all start in the Early Neolithic? Ana Cristina Araújo, César Neves, Rita Peyroteo Stjerna, Miriam Cubas e Mariana Diniz (Figura 03). Figura 02 – Poster Apresentado ao First ENE – 2019, que decorreu em Barcelona GRUTA DO ESCOURAL: um estudo multidisciplinar na perspective da arqueologia da morte 4 Figura 03 – Prémio atribuído à comunicação pelo comité científico de First ENE – 2019, Barcelona 3. A COMPONENTE ANTROPOLÓGICA Da responsabilidade de Raquel Granja, bolseira de doutoramento da FCT (2019 – 2022 – SFRH/BD/146991/2019) em Antropologia (com área de especialização em Antropologia Biológica). A obtenção desta bolsa dedicada à Gruta do Escoural era um dos nossos objectivos, concretizado em 2019. Este doutoramento centra-se na caracterização bioarqueológica da população representada pelos restos humanos na cavidade, enquadrando-a a partir dos dados provenientes da arqueologia, arqueometria, biologia molecular e antropologia biológica. Saber quem eram os indivíduos do Escoural, constituía um dos principais objectivos do projecto MorE. Foram criadas fichas de registo para a análise da componente antropológica (ossos e dentes). Dado que os restos esqueléticos humanos não se encontram guardados por áreas de proveniência no interior da cavidade (não existindo no MNA uma base de dados com esta informação) – os contentores guardam no seu interior ossos e dentes recolhidos em diferentes zonas da gruta – a análise a esta componente foi realizada contemplando também esta vertente; i.e., elaborando um inventário pormenorizado do conteúdo de cada um dos 32 contentores com restos esqueléticos humanos do Escoural de modo a facilitar, no futuro, a sua localização pelas diferentes áreas do interior da cavidade. Foram até ao momento analisados e inventariados 864 restos humanos provenientes do interior da gruta (761 ossos e 103 dentes) e 311 restos do exterior (216 ossos e 95 dentes), observando-se algumas semelhanças entre os dois conjuntos relativamente ao seu estado de preservação e de alteração tafonómica. A presença de concreções carbonatadas apensas ao material osteológico é superior no conjunto exumado no interior da gruta, como seria de esperar. GRUTA DO ESCOURAL: um estudo multidisciplinar na perspective da arqueologia da morte 5 Tarefa 1 (T1) - limpeza, inventariação, descrição, conservação e restauro dos restos humanos. Tarefa 2 (T2) - procura de conexões de segunda ordem que permitam reconciliar alguns elementos aos seus esqueletos de origem. Tarefa 3 (T3) - estimativa do número mínimo de indivíduos; estabelecimento de perfis biológicos e paleopatológicos. Tabela 1 – Cronograma das actividades desenvolvidas em 2019/2020 Foi até ao momento contabilizado um Número Mínimo de Indivíduos (NMI) de 24 para o interior da gruta, calculado através dos dentes e das reabsorções alveolares (dente 36)1 e de 7 indivíduos no exterior (dente 33). É de realçar o aparente número superior de indivíduos com dentição decídua recuperados no exterior, quando comparado com os valores do interior, ainda que o número de dentes registados seja igual. 4. INDÚSTRIA EM OSSO, CHIFRE, PEDRA E CONCHA Da responsabilidade de Eva David, investigadora do CNRS e do projecto MorE. A primeira fase de análise a esta componente decorreu em Novembro de 2019, antecipando por uns meses a tarefa (ver Cronograma da Figura 01). Durante esta primeira fase foram analisadas 18 peças de entre o conjunto de 47 que fazem parte do corpus de artefactos em osso, chifre, pedra e concha modificados por acção humana voluntária. Os artefactos (utensílios e elementos de utensílios compósitos) foram criteriosamente analisados – considerando ambas as vertentes, tecnológica e funcional. Em Araújo e Lejeune, 1995, este conjunto de artefactos tinha sido exclusivamente analisado na perspectiva da tipologia, não tendo sido observados os aspectos técnicos (relacionados com o fabrico) e funcionais (relacionados com o uso / materiais e cinemática). Para além da sua integração em tipos ou categorias de artefactos, os materiais foram analisados no âmbito do projecto MorE considerando distintos grupos tafonómicos e, no interior destes, as técnicas e procedimentos de fabrico e as hipóteses de funcionalidade (Eva 1 Note-se que existe na dentição permanente uma grande variação de NMI, o que já não sucede com a dentição decídua, a qual apenas varia entre os valores 0 e 2 2019 2020 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 T1 T1 T1 T1 T1 T1 T1 T1 T1 T1 T1 T1 T1 T1 T1 T1 T2 T2 T3 T3 TOOL-TYPES OR CATEGORIES -Taphonomic group 1: porous, whitish brown with manganese oxide dots and invasive concretions locallyBitruncated bone tools Bitruncated bone tools (external view) in various states of use after their active plane was made convergent from the lateral sides at a tool’s end, by abrasion (left, éva’s number 7; right, from top to bottom, respectively éva’s numbers 1, 7, 6 and 4). Scale, 1mm (left) & subdivision, 1cm (right). Photos, Éva David/CNRS. Éva’s n°1 – quasi entire bitruncated bone tool, metacarpal (diaphyso-distal end), ovicapra sp. Photos-Macro P1330324 to 344 & Bino Esc-001-01 to 08. Éva’s n°4 – quasi entire bitruncated bone tool, metacarpal (diaphyso-distal end, medial/lateral side), red deer Photos-Macro P1330359 to 402, 462-463 & Bino Esc-004-01 to 07. Éva’s n°6 – broken bitruncated bone tool, rib-like (cortical part), large mammal Photos-Macro P1330426 to 429 & Bino Esc-006-01 to 03. Éva’s n°7 – entire bitruncated bone tool, radius or ulna (diaphysis part), large mammal Photos-Macro P1330420 to 425 & Bino Esc-007-01 to 02. Short robust awl Éva’s n°5 – quasi entire short robust awl, metatarsal (diaphyso-distal end), ovicapra sp. Photos-Macro P1330403 to 409, 468 & Bino Esc-005-01 to 18. Awl (internal view) made of a pointedly broken end that has been regularized, made sharp-pointed, by abrasion. Scale, 2mm. Photo, Éva David/CNRS. Element for pressure-flaking Éva’s n°18 – entire element with a compressed aspect and a pointed basal end, bone or antler, large mammal Photos-Macro P1330545 to 549 & Bino Esc-pression-01 to 03. Large ring or “bracelet” Éva’s n°8 – entire hemi-bracelet, palleal side (most regular edge), Glycymeris sp. Photos-Macro P1330452 to 455 & Bino Esc-008-01 to 07. Glycymeris sp. Palleal’s edge naturally notched that became smooth by use after it was made as a ring by abrasion, and close patterns marking a ceramic sherd. Scale, 1mm (left) & 2mm (right). Photos, Éva David/CNRS. Small rings or “beads” Éva’s n°9 – entire bead, limb bone (diaphysis part), large carnivore or bird Photos-Macro P1330501 to 508 & Bino Esc-009-01 to 09. Bone bead (éva’s n°9) that became worn-out after its edges were regularized (flattened), by abrasion. Scale subdivision, 1cm (left) & 2mm (right). Photos, Éva David/CNRS. Pendants Éva’s n°10 – entire pendant, canine, female? red deer Photos-Bino Esc-010-01 to 09. Éva’s n°14 – entire pendant, shell, Cardid sp. Photos-Macro P1330542 & Bino Esc-014-01 to 03. Shell disks or roughouts of threading grains [grains d’enfilage] Éva’s n°11 – entire roughout, shell (valve), Cardid sp. Photos-Bino Esc-011-01 to 03. Éva’s n°12 – entire roughout, shell (apex), Cardid sp. Photos-Bino Esc-012-01 to 03. Éva’s n°13 – entire roughout, shell (apex), Cardid sp. Photos-Macro P1330542 & Bino Esc-013-01 to 02b. Shell disks showing a chipped aspect all around due to the edge’s regularization or retouch probably on a stone convexity and from the internal side, by direct percussion. Scale, 2mm. Photos, Éva David/CNRS. Faunal remain Éva’s n°2 – diaphysis of ulna, large mammal Photos-Macro P1330345 to 348. -Taphonomic group 2: non-porous, orange-brown with marked impact-zones from dog chewingMassive awl Éva’s n°3 – entire awl used as an intermediate piece or as a pointed wedge, complete ulna, large mammal Photos-Macro P1330349 to 358 & Bino Esc-003-01 to 15. Altered surface due to dog chewing (on the olecranium of the massive awl). Scale, 2mm (left) & subdivision 1cm (right). Photos, Éva David/CNRS. Faunal remain 984.163.3 – phalanx (broken in a half), large mammal. RECORDED MANUFACTURING TECHNIQUES (FOR TAPHONOMIC GROUP 1 ONLY) Bitruncated bone tools and awls are shaped from various anatomical elements and/or animal species from complete matrix or somehow fractured bones by means of using the abrasion or grinding technique, i.e., the bony matter is reduced or ground on or with a thick-grain stone surface (e.g. David 2004 & 2016:5859). Bitruncated bone tools are made of two convergent opposite planes fashioned for a purpose at one end of the bone blank. These planes have transformed with a concave shape at one side during the utilization of the bone, as the tool became roughly rounded there. Abraded facetted planes probably transformed due to the use of the bone tool on a rough (clay?) material (éva’s n°1 & 6). Scale, 2mm (left) & 1mm (right). Photos, Éva David/CNRS. The reduction of the shell and the regularization of all bone tools and ornaments were performed by means of using the abrasion technique as well. The technique also was applied in debitage, notably to preshape the metapodial bone (red deer), bifacial, before splitting it in elongated parts by the sawing technique with a sharp stone tool. Abrasion occurred then by means of faceting planes, axially or transversally, on both the cortical and spongy serrated edges. Deep marks witnessing the sawing technique was applied axially with a sharp stone edge after the blank was preshaped and before edges went regularized, by abrasion (left); Tiny (lime?)stone beads perforated and probably shaped in series, by abrasion. Scale subdivision, 1cm (left) and 1mm (right). Photos, Éva David/CNRS. The abrasion in facetted planes was also made in series, as inferred from the irregular shape of the tiny stone beads, although these are similar in size. Probably that the direct percussion on a convexity was applied to perform and regularize the (shell) disks before the grinding technique was used to smooth single strings of beads after these disks were individually perforated (e.g. Logie 1974). Perforations of pendants were processed by indirect percussion and pressure modes when on large size shell, and using the drilling technique, on stone. Practiced used concomitantly to the abrasion since the Late Mesolithic (Bergsvik/David 2015), the drilling technique, i.e. using a bow to conduct the serrated stone drill with an alternate motion in order to perforate the material), is particular to large stone beads, as display by the diabolo shape and parallel lines in the lengthwise cross-sections (David 2016:87). Stone beads were perforated by drilling (left) after these were regularized (flattened) by abrasion on each side, and pendant of large size shell were directly pierced by indirect percussion and pressure (éva’s n°14, right). Scale, 2mm. Photos, Éva David/CNRS. A tiny tooth (éva’s n°10) might have been perforated on its root, in vis-à-vis, but it is too damaged to provide any technique identification. Otherwise, it is the marrow cavity that is used as a natural hole to constitute large bone beads (see above, éva’s n°9). Tooth pendant probably of a red deer vestigial canine (éva’s n°10). Scale, 2mm. Photo, Éva David/CNRS. TECHNOLOGY AND CONCEPTION OF TOOLS AND ORNAMENTS Attested since the Late Mesolithic as a usual practice for manufacturing bone industry (David et al. 2015), the abrasion technique is common to Neolithic contexts regardless it is applied to produce, as at Escoural, the same elongated bone tools (Poplin 1974) or shell rings (Bonnardin, 2009:87, fig.37). If this latter is indeed applied to shape morphologies similarly because the raw material, like the shell, indeed constraints the way to transform it, the chaine operatoire used in the manufacture of the lissoirs or the bitruncated tools and even the awls are various at the Escoural Cave. This is due to that they concern different kind of limb (radius or ulna, metapodial) and flat bones (rib-like) of large mammals, also of different sizes (red deer, ovicapra). However, the products deriving from these anatomical matrices are all thick and elongated. The obvious lack of symmetry of the tools regardless their dimensions and the orientation of their active part evoke that there was no predetermination in the production of these pieces. A large thickness of bone material was produced mainly to be used just as an efficient tool, though. However, the pieces look similar. It is due to that they display a same conception in how the active end was properly shaped. Morphological similarities derive from the tool’s function, then. Previously misinterpreted as points, the bitruncated’ active parts similarly display two convergent laterally-placed facetted planes that are opposed towards the tip-end. The convergence renders a kind of a point but close observations indicate the planes do not merge together on the tip-end (see above éva’s n°6). It is even possible that these planes derive themselves from a specific debitage technique that initially was used to segment the bone blank in this particular way. This is supported by the orientation of the striations which display mainly in a transverse motion. Although this pattern could be related to the rejuvenation of the working area, the fact that it is produced on the active end regardless the general anatomical morphology of the used bone reinforces the impression this bitruncation is the main functional attribute. The other functional attribute is placed on the basal end of the tool which remains untouched compare to the active end; probably that it was wrapped for use, as mentioned above, just where the concretions particularly have developed on the bone. Despite bitruncated bone tools and awls show no predetermination in the way they have been produced (left), they mainly show a precise conception in how the active part was properly manufactured (above, left), made by convergent planes on the tip-end (large black arrows) which edges are getting smooth with a concave delineation after use (above, right, drawn after éva’s n°6). Scale subdivision, 1 cm. Photos, Éva David/CNRS. Presence of un-perforated shell disks at Escoural which elsewhere were commonly transformed into necklaces in the European Neolithic (Bonnardin 2009:139) might indicate utilization of the cave for crafting. Depending on their relation to the graves, these roughouts might have participated as such as grave goods. Experimenting the way they were manufactured would unearth further insights on know-how involved and tools associated to their production since no reconstruction has yet been properly proposed for this kind. Proposed chaine operatoire of manufacturing Cardid sp. beads, in a suit of technical operations (after éva’s n°11, 12 and 13). Drawing, Éva David/CNRS. Proposed theoretical chaine operatoire of manufacturing the lissoir or the bitruncated tool on red deer metacarpal (after éva’s n°4). Drawing, Éva David/CNRS. Legend : 0-natural metacarpal bone of red deer, cranial view; 1-sawing the divided line; 2-abrading the bone bifacial; 3-splitting the bone in equal parts either by fracturing and/or sawing across; 4-Shaping the anatomical proximal end and regularizing the serrated edges of the bone splinter so ready to use. Debitage using abrasion has been applied on metapodial bone from red deer. It is not particular to the Neolithic where the practice is wide-spread (e.g. Poplin 1974). However, at Escoural, it is supplemented with the sawing technique. This makes possible to extracted more regular splinter while the bone is cut from the cranial to the caudal faces, aside the septum where the two anatomical fingers of the bone (III and IV) merge together, instead of being reduced in quite a large depth. Compare to the known chaine operatoire of the kind (ibid.), this way of manufacturing would provide different splinters than when the abrasion or conversely the sawing techniques are uniquely applied. In attempt for experiments, it presently revealed an interest in large products while keeping, in the meantime, a thick basal end. FUNCTIONAL HYPOTHESES Bitruncated bone tools (above, éva’s n°1) would theoretically have been round-facetted from using them to work or regularize rough clay-pots in a transverse motion. Scale subdivision, 1cm. Photo, Éva David/CNRS. The various orientation of the striations and lustre areas on the facetted bone tools would be related to a precise purpose of use in ceramic confection, here with an axial motion (above, éva’s n°5). Scale subdivision, 1cm. Photo, Éva David/CNRS. It is not known how far traces left by the abrasion technique would be close resembling if the bone is used to regularized thick grained-clay pots for instance, as it would left similar deep smooth-irregular striations (e.g. Maigrot 2003). However, from the concave delineation of the abraded bone tools’ active end and the orientation of the oblique striations of its smooth edges, we keep hypothesis abraded areas from the technique used in bone reduction are somehow distinguishable from that relative to the use of the convergent planes to smooth a rough surface. This is supported by intrinsic variations within single surface areas inferring basal part of the bitruncated bone tools and robust awls was hand-hold or somehow protected (wrapped with another material) from any use wear damage. A rapid overview of the ceramic material shows some pots have indeed been “polished” in bands and others display suspension systems through perforated attributes fixed on their lip. This supports theoretical use of bone tools as estèques and perforators respectively. Most regular side of a shaped palleal edge of a Glycymeris sp. into a (half?)-bracelet (éva’s n°8). Scale subdivision, 1cm. Photo, Éva David/CNRS. Regarding the fashioning of the ceramic-pots, it is furthermore possible that the naturally notched shells might have served to decorate the clay before it dried. Experiments are needed since the use of Glycymeris sp. ring as a body ornament relative to pottery decoration-making would certainly point to specific use-wear on the shell, therefore if associated to certain pots-types at the site, to a certain culture or population. A previous study from funerary contexts shows this ornament was highly valuated by various groups in Europe during the Early Neolithic (Bonnardin 2009). Transmission of these shell elements through generations has thus been emphasized in pointing to possible relationship through various chrono-cultural episodes due to the important restorations the pieces have received in their entire state in the tombs. That, it is completely worn out at Escoural, as a part of the shell ring only, seems to indicate the ornament would have been restored for an even longer use: two of most anatomical circular halves were fixed together in a single bracelet? Import possibility shall be therefore target by means of (GIS) distribution of heavily used Glycymeris sp. “bracelets” in synchrony and diachrony. Another last hypothesis of use for the Escoural material concerns a complete bone item which displays characters of composite crutches (David/Sørensen 2016). Its use as the active part of a pressure system is supported by the width of the associated flint material of the cave, up to 2,6cm in width from the drawing of the blade products (Araújo/Lejeune 1995) that match debitage with the pressure mode 4 or 5 according to Pelegrin (2012:479). Experiments are requested to understand whether it was used as element of an abdominal crutch or as the active part of a lever system which therefore would infer different social status as far as these different modes require quite different skills (ibid.). Bone element (left, éva’s n°18) is a possible active part of a known device reproduced in pressure debitage (drawing of a lever system using a tree, after Clark 2012:60, drawing of the flint blade from the cave, after Araújo/Lejeune 1995). Scale subdivision, 1 cm. Photo, Éva David/CNRS. CITED REFERENCE Araújo A.C. & M. Lejeune (1995) Gruta do Escoural: necrópole neolítica e arte rupestre paleolítoca. Lisboa, Instituto português do património arquitectónico e arqueológico (trabalhos de arqueologia 8). Bergsvik K.-A. & É. David (2015). Crafting bone tools in Mesolithic Norway, a regional eastern-related know-how. Journal of European Archaeology, 18(2), 190–221. Bergsvik K.-A. & R. Skeates (Eds.) (2012). Caves in context: the cultural significance of caves and rockshelters in Europe. Exeter, Oxbow books. Bonnardin S. (2009) La parure funéraire au Néolithique ancien dans les Bassins parisien et rhénan. Rubané, Hinkelstein et Villeneuve-Saint-Germain. 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Diniz (2018) The dead at Escoural cave (Montemor-o-Novo), Portugal): early farmer’s interactions in Southwestern Iberian Peninsula. In De Gibraltar aos Pirenéus: megalitismo, vida e morte na fachada atlântica peninsular, 65-84. Nelas, UNIARQ-CEAACP Universidade do Algarve. Poplin F. (1974) Deux cas de débitage par usure. In 1er colloque international sur l’industrie de l’os dans la préhistoire, Abbaye de Sénanque (Vaucluse), Avril 1974, 85-92. Aix-en-Provence, Éditions de l’Université de Provence. Transmitted to Rita Peyroteo Stjerna and Ana Cristina Araújo for personnal use only. Nanterre, the 26th of November 2019, Éva David/CNRS