We investigated the genetic composition of six Canis remains from western Iberia, directly radiocarbon dated to 7,903-7,570 years (cal BP). They were identified as dogs via their archaeological and depositional context, osteometry, and a high percentage of aquatic diet shared with humans. For comparison, genetic data were obtained from an additional 37 Iberian dog remains from the Neolithic to Late Antiquity, as well as two Palaeolithic and a Chalcolithic Canis identified as wolves. Previous data indicated that dog mtDNA haplogroup A (HgA) is prevalent in extant European dogs (>50%), in the Near East and Asia, but rare or absent (<10%) in European Canis older than 3,000 years (cal BP). We found a high frequency (83%) of dog HgA in Mesolithic Iberian dog remains. This is the first report of a high frequency of dog HgA in pre-Neolithic Europe. We show that, contrary to the current view, Canis with HgA did not necessarily arrive in Europe from East-Asia. This phylogeographical difference in HgA frequency demonstrates that genetic differentiation was high prior to, or as a consequence of, domestication which may be linked with pre-Neolithic local processes for Iberian wolf domestication. Our results emphasize that knowledge of both ancient wolves' and early dogs' genetic profiles from the European periphery should improve our understanding of the evolution of the European dog.

From the excavations carried out between 1936 and 1967 in the Chalcolithic settlement of Vila Nova de São Pedro (Azambuja, Portugal), there were recovered more than 500 ceramic elements usually known as “loom weights” with different shapes, dimensions and, in the majority, with decorated surfaces. The iconographic repertoire is quite diverse, with the geometric motifs in higher representation, followed by soliforms, anthropomorphic and zoomorphic motifs. For the zoomorphic motifs there were identified eleven decorated surfaces, whose typology is split into two categories: quadruped – whose species are not identifiable; deer representations. These iconographic motifs are part of the symbolic and conceptual universe of Iberian communities from the 3rd Millennium BC, also appearing in several artifactual categories such as ceramics, figurines, plates, engravings and rock art paintings. Understanding the mechanisms that create and increase this thematic uniformity, as well as the meaning of the deer for these agro pastoral groups, will allow a closer approach to the cultural and social behavior of these communities.

In 2017, a team from UNIARQ – School of Arts and Humanities of the University of Lisbon and the Association of Portuguese Archaeologists presented a research project to the Directorate-General for Cultural Heritage, entitled Vila Nova de São Pedro in the 3rd millennium (VNSP3000), with the intention to resume excavations in VNSP. Within the scope of a seminar of the Degree in Archaeology at the School of Arts and Humanities of the University of Lisbon, Ana Costa Francisco, analysed the remains recovered in the first campaign of 2017. The fauna recovered in the following campaigns were studied by Cleia Detry. The remains of domestic fauna demonstrate the presence of sheep/goat (Ovis/Capra), cattle (Bos taurus) and pig (Sus scrofa domesticus). Hunting is also highly prevalent with the presence of rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus). The auroch (Bos primigenius) and wild boar (Sus scrofa), although difficult to distinguish from their domesticated counterparts, were also identified in the assemblage.

The archaeological site of Vila Nova de São Pedro (Azambuja) was discovered in 1936 through the surveys carried out by Hipólito Cabaço. In 1937, the first excavation campaign was led by Eugénio Jalhay and Afonso do Paço. With the death of the first, in 1950, Paço assumed, with occasional collaborations, the direction of the archaeological works on the site, until 1967. This article intends to analyse the fauna collected and described by Afonso do Paço during these campaigns, about which, however, there is no information on the stratigraphic provenance of artifacts and ecofacts. The data from these campaigns are also compared with the fauna collected during the 2017 and 2018 excavations, carried out under the VNSP3000 project. From this faunistic material without context, it was still possible to acquire some knowledge about species present in the vicinity of Vila Nova de São Pedro during the Chalcolithic.

Vibrational spectroscopy was applied to study cylindrical engraved bone boxes from the Chalcolithic settlement of Vila Nova de São Pedro (VNSP, Azambuja, Portugal) which has the largest and richest artefact assemblage of Copper Age Western Iberia. The objectives were to reconstitute manufacturing techniques, determine the role of pyrotechnology in the production of cylindrical engraved bone boxes and assess oxygen conditions during burning. Four fragments of cylindrical engraved bone “boxes” from VNSP were used in this research. Anaerobic experimental burn conditions were recreated by using a home-made steel airtight chamber under vacuum. Human bone fragments were burnt at 400–1000 °C for 120–211 min. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analyses were performed on bone powder samples. The resulting spectra and chemometric indices were used as a reference to establish comparisons with the archaeological artefacts. None of these presented spectral features compatible with anaerobic burning. Therefore, aerobic burns were used to achieve the whitish look and were most probably used to attain the darker shade displayed by the artefacts. Artefact manufacturing appears to have relied on bone cutting, bone engraving and maybe polishing, followed by heat treatment. The population from VNSP appears to have been highly specialized in the use of fire to work different raw materials.