Can Sadurní Cave

3.1.11.1. Location and history of investigations

The Cave of Can Sadurní is on the side of a small hill in the calcareous Garraf Massif, overlooking the plain of Begues (Baix Llobregat) (Fig. 3.13a), at 421 m a.s.l. Therefore, it is located in a privileged position, very close (<500 m) to fertile arable land, water resources and controlling two historical pathways which connect the plain of Barcelona with the southern coastal areas (see Blasco et al. 1983)). The cavity encompasses nearly 200 m² and a large terrace of around 325 m² is found in front of the entrance. They are both oriented to the south/south-east (Fig. 3.13b) (Edo, Blasco & Villalba 2011).

Fig. 3.13a. View of the plane of Begues from Can Sadurní cave (left) and entrance to the cave (right).

The archaeological work started in 1978 and continued until 1983. In 1993 the excavations were reinitiated and they have continued until the present (except during the years 1994 and 2000, when no archaeological fieldwork was done). A more detailed history of the investigations can be found elsewhere (e.g. Antolín 2008b, 69).

3.1.11.2. Chronology and phases

Twenty-seven different archaeological strata have been identified, dated between approximately 11000 cal BC and the last century (Fig. 3.14) (for a recent compilation see (Edo, Blasco & Villalba 2011).

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Fig. 3.13b. Site plan of Can Sadurní Cave and the outer terrace. Indication of the location of Sondage I, excavated between 1978 and 1983 (image provided by M. Edo).

Fig. 3.14. Profile view of the stratigraphy of Can Sadurní Cave (Blasco et al. 2005).

Even though seed and fruit remains have been identified in Early, Middle and Late Neolithic layers ( Antolín 2008b, Antolín et al. 2013), this study will only focus in three contexts or layers: layer 10 (dated to 4180-4037 cal BC ((Edo, Blasco & Villalba 2011))), layer 11 (dated to 4470-4340 cal BC (Edo, Blasco &

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Villalba 2011)) and layer 18 (dated to 5392-5304 cal BC (Martín et al. 2010)). These are the best-studied contexts from the site and, consequently, a more complete archaeological evaluation of the data is possible.

3.1.11.3. Archaeological phases of occupation or use of the cave

The occupation of layer 18, dated to the Early Neolithic, is so far a unique case in the north-eastern Iberian Peninsula, as it corresponds to a collective funerary deposit. The remains of a minimum number of 7 individuals were recovered, according to the results of the aDNA analyses (Gamba et al. 2011). These remains were accompanied by rich offerings: several pottery vessels full of carbonised seeds, the intentional deposition of sheep extremities, plaques made of marine shells and other elements (Blasco et al. 2005). The pottery vessels were fragmented in situ (fragments of the same vessels were closely spatially related) and fire traces were found in nearly all the archaeological materials found around them (including large amounts of charcoal). It cannot be assumed at the moment that the fire took place at the same place where the assemblage was found, since the soil micromorphological analysis of one sample from the north-eastern profile of the trench seems to show no (or very low) evidences of burning and a lack of ashes (Antolín et al.

2011). The actual working hypothesis is that there might have been a fire, perhaps with ritual meaning, that affected the offertory vessels containing grain and part of the human remains (only cranial fragments were burnt) and grave goods (Antolín et al. 2011). The presence of a goat pellet in the soil micromorphology slide and other archaeological elements like a sickle blade or a hand stone, point towards a more diverse use of the surrounding area of the cave, which could have been inhabited by the same group that used it for funerary purposes.

The Early Middle Neolithic layer 11 shows a completely different settlement structure. It is a rather thick layer that was formed in around 400 years. Apparently, the interior of the cave was used as a byre during the first period of the formation of this layer. Archaeozoological and soil micromorphology data confirm an intense use of the cave, probably all-year-round (Bergadà & Cervelló 2011, Saña et al. in press). A similarly intensive exploitation of lithic resources of the surrounding environment of the site is equally observed in the archaeological record (Edo, Antolín & Barrio 2012). It seems that towards the more recent period of formation of this layer, the cave could have preferentially been used for funerary purposes (this is at the moment a working hypothesis). Within this context, several evidences of beer production have recently been documented (Blasco, Edo & Villalba 2008). A unique anthropomorphic figurine (popularly known as

“The Enchanted”) made on ceramic was recently recovered in this layer in the field campaign of 2012.

Still in the Early Middle Neolithic, layer 10 seems to be a continuation of the settlement pattern that is observed in layer 11. One of the most significant differences is found in the terrace outside the cave, where several storage pits were probably used for storing grain. Such storage practices would confirm the hypothesis of a permanent occupation of the area surrounding the site during this period (Edo, Blasco &

Villalba 2011).

3.1.11.4. Palaeoecological and palaeoeconomic information

Palaeoenvironmental analyses at the site are very numerous and I refer to the large list of existing reports and publications for a thorough description of the results (Edo et al. 1986, Edo et al. 1991, Edo et al. 1995, Blasco et al. 2005, Blasco et al. 1999, Blasco, Edo & Villalba 2008, Blasco, Antolín 2008b, Antolín et al.

2011, Antolín & Buxó 2011a, Antolín & Buxó 2011c, Antolín et al. 2013, Saña et al. in press).

Soil micromorphology analyses recorded humid environmental conditions during in the Early Neolithic (layer 18), which do not extend towards the Middle Neolithic (Bergadà & Cervelló 2011).

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Charcoal analyses show a clear shift in fuel gathering strategies between the Early (layer 18) and the Middle Neolithic (layers 11 and 10). While supramediterranean taxa are dominant during the earliest phase, Mediterranean shrub taxa become the main taxa towards the end of the Vth millennium cal BC (Antolín et al. 2013). Such change is very probably due to the Middle Holocene climatic change (see for instance (Pérez-Obiol et al. 2011)), which produced a progressive aridification of the landscape. This shift would become more visible in intensively exploited areas.

Changes are equally observed in the faunal record. A mixed herding model is observed in the three settlement phases, being ovicaprines the best-represented group along the stratigraphy. A diversified exploitation of goats and sheep (meat, milk, fats) is observed during the first phase of occupation. This pattern changes towards the Middle Neolithic, when most of the individuals are killed at their meat optimum stage. Besides, some sheep seem to be kept for a longer time, which was interpreted as a possible evidence of wool exploitation (Saña et al. in press).

The existence of charred cereal grains and imprints on daub were already identified by G. Kraus-Kashani for the Middle Neolithic layers (Edo et al. 1991). Lists of identified taxa were then presented by R. Buxó for the Early and Middle Neolithic layers (Blasco et al. 1999, Blasco et al. 2005, Buxó & Piqué 2008). A first quantified approach to the archaeobotanical record was presented shortly after (Antolín 2008b). All these data will be included in the analysis of the site. Harvesting and cereal processing tools were documented in several layers. Studies are currently on-going (for instance, use-wear analyses have only been partly carried out for layer 18). One sickle blade was identified in layer 18 (Gibaja et al. 2011b), while several grinding stones and hand stones were recovered in all of the three mentioned contexts (Ache 2011). In layer 11, microresidues of malting and brewing were identified in some of these elements and a potsherd (Blasco, Edo

& Villalba 2008). These are, at present, the earliest evidences of beer production in Western Europe.