Aprendiendo a Excavar: El Yacimiento Paleolítico De Los Ahijones-Sector G Como Modelo De Investigación Y Formación. Learning to Dig: The Paleolithic Site of Los Ahijones-Sectore G as Sample of Investigations and Education.

Abstract

ResumenDurante los últimos años y gracias a la estrecha colaboración del Departamento de Prehistoria y Arqueología, la empresa Argea S.L y la Dirección General de Patrimonio de la Comunidad de Madrid, se viene desarrollando un modelo mixto de formación e investigación en el yacimiento paleolítico de Los Ahijones (Vicávaro-Madrid) en el que los alumnos de prácticas de campo del Máster de Arqueología y Patrimonio de nuestra Universidad participan activamente. En este trabajo presentamos tanto las metodologías docentes aplicadas en dicho yacimiento, como los resultados preliminares de la investigación resultado de las campañas de 2013-15. Los datos obtenidos muestran la enorme y compleja actividad de talla que los grupos achelenses pusieron en práctica en las zonas del interfluvio Jarama-Manzanares a lo largo de la segunda mitad del Pleistoceno medio.Palabras clave: Achelense, interfluvio, Ahijones, talleres, sílex. AbstractDuring the last years, thanks to the collaboration between the Department of Prehistory and Archaeology, Argea S.L company and the Direccción General de Patrimonio of the Community of Madrid, a mixed model of practical learning and research has been developed in the Paleolithic site of Los Ahijones (Vicávaro-Madrid). In that site, the students of the Master of Archaeology and Heritage of our University practice fieldwork methodologies and actively participate in the general research. In this contribution, we present the teaching methods applied in the field, as well as some data obtained in the research from the 2013-15 campaigns. The preliminary results demonstrate the enormous and complex activity developed by acheulian groups in the interfluvial areas of the Jarama and Manzanares rivers during the second half of Middle Pleistocene.

Experimental study on flint hammerstone use in Discoid-Levallois technologies: A comparison with the workshop assemblages of the central Iberian Peninsula

“…Ongoing work (Baena et al 2015b) indicates that use of flint hammerstones in the Madrid basin seemed to be a common feature during the Palaeolithic. Although it has been suggested elsewhere that flint hammerstones might present a higher technical efficiency without increasing the frequency of accidents , the experimental program developed here shows that knapping mistakes increase with the use of flint hammerstones.…”

“…The northern and southern margins of the Madrid Basin consist of granitic igneous rocks that contrast with the basin units formed by lacustrine and alluvial materials (arkoses with carbonates, clays and gypsum) (López-Camacho et al 1986). During the period of the Neogene there were three large sedimentary stages that are associated with three large stratigraphic units in relation to flint formations: Lower Unit (Middle RablienseAragoniense), Middle Unit (Middle Aragoniense-Lower Vallesiense) and Upper Unit (Upper Vallesiense-Turoliense) (Baena et al 2015b;Calvo et al 1996). The Lower Unit is formed by massive gypsums and clayey sequences (silt and clay formations) intercalated with conglomerates, sandstones and limestones.…”