Of space and time: The non-midden components of the Cabeço da Amoreira Mesolithic shell mound (Muge, central Portugal)

Abstract

Very little information is currently available on the internal layout and functional diversity of Portuguese Mesolithic shell middens. This is mainly due to the fact that previous work has focused mostly on restricted parts of the middens. New excavations at Cabeço da Amoreira, however, have strongly been concerned with the study of site formation processes and spatial organization. The most remarkable feature of this new work has been the identification of a series of non-midden, multi-stratified loci found in the immediate vicinity of the mound. In this paper, we present the general characteristics of the non-midden components regarding their stratigraphic context, artefactual composition, and chronological succession. Although preliminary, these data are of major importance with regard to two aspects of the Muge shell middens. First, they disclose the organization of the settlement during the Mesolithic, with shell middens no longer being regarded as simple, isolated base camp units. Second, this work identified a series of Neolithic occupations around the midden as an important element in our understanding of the complexity of the Mesolithic-Neolithic transitional process in central Portugal. This is linked to the question of the ultimate fate of these Mesolithic communities.