133239 20240410085328.0 doi 10.1016/j.jasrep.2020.102489 sideral 119109 ART-2020-119109 eng Montes, Lourdes Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0003-0628-2582 Spatial distribution of megalithic monuments in the subalpine belt of the Pyrenees: Interpretation and implications for understanding early landscape transformation 2020 Using a database of all the catalogued dolmens and stone circles in six Pyrenean valleys, we investigated the distribution of these megalithic monuments on the basis of elevation, gradient, aspect, terrain ruggedness, and terrain position, and identified factors potentially explaining the distribution of the monuments. A map of the areas having the highest probabilities of occurrence of megalithic monuments was developed, and showed that megalithic monuments are located in relatively accessible areas having gentle gradients and low terrain ruggedness close to the fluvial network, with wide U-shaped glacial valleys being the preferred locations. The altitudinal distribution showed one concentration of dolmens and stone circles at relatively low elevation (1250–1400 m a.s.l.) in the mid montane belt, and another at high elevation, at approximately the level of the timberline (1750–1900 m a.s.l.) adjacent to the alpine belt. Today, both areas are pastures that have historically sustained livestock, the traditional economic basis of Pyrenean valleys. The map showing the probability of occurrence of megalithic monuments in the study area suggests that a number of potentially favorable areas were largely inaccessible or too far from the main livestock routes, and remained forested until the Middle Ages. These findings and a variety of archaeological studies contribute to propose that the first shepherds: (i) understood the altitudinal organization of mountain areas; (ii) used the best accessible flat areas in the mid montane belt in late spring and early summer; and (iii) used the upper subalpine/alpine belt in summer. Access copy available to the general public Unrestricted info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/DGA/E02-17R info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/DGA/H14-17R info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MINECO/ESPAS CGL2015-655698-R info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MINECO/GAS HAR2017-85023-P info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MINECO/MANMOUNT PID2019-105983RB-100 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess by-nc-nd http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/es/ 0.84 2020 Archeology 2020 Q1 History 2020 Q1 Archeology (arts and humanities) 2020 Q1 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion Sebastián, María Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0002-7646-0826 Domingo, Rafael Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0003-3894-7112 Beguería, Santiago (orcid)0000-0002-3974-2947 García-Ruiz, José M. 4013 210 Universidad de Zaragoza Dpto. Didácticas Específicas Área Didáctica Ciencias Socia. 3000 695 Universidad de Zaragoza Dpto. Ciencias de la Antigüed. Área Prehistoria 33 (2020), 102489 [14 pp.] J. archaeol. sci. rep. JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE-REPORTS 2352-409X 18472754 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/133239/files/texto_completo.pdf Postprint 1857610 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/133239/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon icon Postprint oai:zaguan.unizar.es:133239 articulos driver 2024-04-10-08:36:07 ARTICLE