Duration: 06/01/2010 – 05/31/2013
Abstract: Archaeological evidence indicates the existence of several burial areas in the enclosure of Perdigões. A systematic study of this henge is necessary in order to understand the local multiplicity of funerary practices and their articulation. This interdisciplinary approach addresses the characterization of individuals inhumated in different areas in Perdigões not only aiming at understanding the management of the dead within this kind of site, but also aiming at characterizing these individuals paleobiologically. Faunal studies will also be addressed in order to understand the role played by the fauna in the funerary rites. Archaeometric studies that have proven the use of the site by local community as well as by peripheral groups will be extended through compositional quantitative and qualitative analyses of ceramics including neutron activation analysis (NAA) and mineralogical x-ray diffraction analysis in order to find chemical signatures for each archaeological context. Thermoluminescence dating of archaeological artifacts and soils will be carried out in order to obtain accurate chronologic settings for the context.
Coordinator: Ana Maria Silva
Participants: Ana Maria Silva, Sofia Neto Wasterlain, Ricardo Miguel Godinho
Financial support: Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia
Reference: PTDC/CS ‐ ANT/104333/2008.