Beyond nature: The management of a productive cultural landscape in Las Médulas area (El Bierzo, León, Spain) during pre-Roman and Roman times

Abstract

This article focuses on the analysis of plant remains (seeds/fruits, charcoal, pollen, spores, and non-pollen palynomorphs) from two archaeological sites (pre-Roman and Roman) located in Las Médulas, a cultural landscape, in the northwestern part of the Iberian Peninsula. The article explores the way the communities living in the area managed their environment and the impact of productive activities on the landscape. This research has shown the multiplicity of needs this landscape satisfied and the various ways these communities managed the surrounding environment through different productive activities (agriculture, animal husbandry, and mining amongst others).

Keywords:

• Archaeobotany
• cultural landscape
• macrofossils
• NW Iberian Peninsula
• pollen
• Iron Age
• Roman Age

Acknowledgements

This article is part of the research carried our within two projects: “Paisajes culturales y naturales del Bierzo: Geoarqueología, Paleoambiente y Paleobiología (BierzoRVN)” (PIF 06-055) (Cultural and natural landscapes in El Bierzo: geoarchaeology, palaeoenvironment and palaeobiology) and the Spanish Consolider Program (CSD2007-00058). In addition, the archaeological research has been funded by the Junta de Castilla y León. We are indebted to Daniel Abel Schaad, Sebastián Pérez and Guillermo-Sven Reher for their help in the field work and their collaboration in this research.