La neolitización de la Meseta Norte y de la alta y media cuenca del Ebro (España): premisas teóricas, análisis del registro y planteamiento de hipótesis

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to propose a hypothesis about the Neolithisation of the Upper and Middle Ebro Basin and Northern Meseta (Spain). To achieve this goal, several theoretical topics of this historical process are defined, a classification of the archaeological sites involved in this process is presented, based on these theoretical assumptions and the comparison between their archaeological contexts –stratigraphy, chronology, archaeological materials, etc.–, and a (pre)historical definition of those communities is proposed. Based on this data, the Neolithisation of this territory is explained within a specific chronological framework –5700-5600 and 5400-5300 cal BC– where it is assumed the existence of Neolithic pioneer communities and the important role in the spread of the Neolithic across this geographical area of both local Mesolithic groups and colonization processes –leapfrog or infiltration types–.