El uso de esteras vegetales como material constructivo: evidencias en el sureste de la Península Ibérica durante la Prehistoria reciente

Abstract

In this paper we present diverse archaeological evidence of a building aspect that has not been addressed up to now by the research on the Late Prehistory of the Iberian Peninsula and little known in general: the use of vegetal woven mats integrated in structures as just another construction material. These have been recovered from various prehistoric sites from the Southeast of the Iberian Peninsula through the study of daub fragments. The main evidence comes from the chalcolithic site of Les Moreres (Crevillente, Alicante), along with other signs coming from five enclaves, the Neolithic site of Los Limoneros II (Elche, Alicante) and those of the Bronze Age Caramoro I (Elche, Alicante), Cabezo del Polovar and Terlinques (Villena, Alicante), as well as Lloma de Betxí (Paterna, Valencia). Those findings highlight the highly informative potential of hardened mud pieces and the necessity of considering more elements as prospective building materials from Prehistoric dates.