Metallic Motivations? Using GIS to Determine the Role of Metal and Mineral Resources in Changing Settlement Location Preferences between the Bronze and Iron Ages in Evora, Portugal (2200 BCE–400 CE)

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2021: General Sessions" session, at the 86th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Bronze Age settlements in the Evora district of Portugal are typically located in rocky terrain with an apparent preference for locations in the highlands. During the Iron Age we see a shift of this settlement pattern, as highland sites are abandoned and new settlements appear at lower altitudes. Was the initial selection of highland sites influenced by the availability of metallurgical resources, particularly copper or tin, at the summits of these mountains? This paper uses GIS to analyze known Bronze and Iron Age settlements and metal and mineral distribution in the region to determine if a correlation exists settlement location and metal resources. Specifically, is there a relationship between the location of Bronze Age settlements and copper and tin, and did the introduction of iron in the first millennium BCE diminish the usefulness of such sites, therein leading to their abandonment and the establishment of new settlements closer to iron resources? While there are, no doubt, multiple factors to consider in understanding the factors behind settlement relocation, determining the role of metal and mineral resource availability is worthy of particular attention given the technological changes of this time.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 86th Annual Meeting, Online (2021)   •
• SAA 2021: General Sessions

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 33060