Archaeology of Pastoralism in the Central Pyrenees

Abstract

This study investigates changes in human occupation and pastoralism in a zone of the central Pyrenees (Spain) from their first occurrences to the present day, based on an analysis of archaeological structures recorded at sites in the study area. Huts, enclosures, rock-shelters and other architectural remains were analysed and compared in order to develop a typological classification, and morphological similarities and differences between sites in terms of size and number of structures were also noted. The study proposes a sociohistorical interpretation of the differences in the archaeological record within a long-term chronological framework, in this way building a historical sequence of livestock practices and human occupation in the Pyrenees.