Shepherds' rituals
Cannibalism and burials in the Randero Cave
(Pedreguer)
5th-3rd millennium BC
Inner room and deepest gallery of the cave.
THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE
The exhibition presents the results of the research
carried out between 2007 and 2021 by a team of specialists, in
the framework of the Archaeological Excavation Project of the Cova del Randero, in which, through the MARQ, the Diputación de Alicante is involved, in close collaboration with the Pedreguer Town Council.
These advances have made the Cova del Randero one of the most important sites in the East of the Iberian Peninsula for dealing with cave dwellings in the Middle Neolithic (between 4500 and 4000 BC), as well as the funerary aspect of the Final Neolithic-Chalcolithic (between 3500 and 2700 BC), allowing us to reconstruct the way of life of human groups who practised a production economy, cultivated cereals and looked after herds, using the different internal spaces of the cave for different purposes.
A SHELTER FOR LIVESTOCK
In the second half of the 5th millennium B.C. (Middle Neolithic), the Cova
del Randero was used as a refuge by small groups of shepherds to shelter their livestock, mainly sheep and goats. They moved their herds seasonally, between the
low and mid-mountain areas, thus securing their food.
They adapted the cave spaces to their needs, separating the livestock: the outermost area for the adults, the central gallery for the pregnant females and newborns, guaranteeing reproduction and milk production, while the innermost area was used for the shepherds' rest and for processing the animals' meat.
A pit with a large container was found in this internal area.
multifunctional ceramic: it was used for cooking different types of food.
prepared, perfume the atmosphere by heating aromatic plants, and act as a fire deposit for lighting.
A SPACE FOR THEIR DEAD
Between the 4th and 3rd millennium BC (Final Neolithic-Chalcolithic) there have been
documented human skeletal remains whose dating by C14
confirm the use of the site as a burial space,
within the phenomenon of collective burial. One of the
The most outstanding finding is the complete skull of a male between 35 and 45 years of age, located in the innermost gallery of the
cave. It was found isolated, in an unusual arrangement, protected by stones, and its dating (3400 B.C.) places it approximately four centuries before the rest of the burials, considering it to be a skull relic.
The identification of enclosure elements in two internal areas of the cave allowed for the exceptional preservation of objects linked to the adornment of the deceased and the grave goods that accompanied the funerary rituals. These include necklace beads, pendants, axes, adzes, flint knives, ceramic vessels and an excellent set of 17 flint arrowheads.
Finding of a pit with a preparation at the base for the insertion of a
large ceramic vessel.
Finding of a skull-relic in the innermost gallery of the cave.
A large ceramic vessel used for cooking, perfuming and illumination.
The grave goods that formed part of the burials:
Bone pendant, arrowhead and knife made of flint.
Skull of a 35-45 year old male dated to 3400 BC.
RITUAL CANNIBALISM
Related to the livestock use of the 5th millennium BC (Neolithic
The skeletal remains of two children were found, one of them a
approximately 7-8 years old and another newborn. Their study
anthropological and taphonomic findings revealed various marks on the
surface of the bones, such as cuts made with tools made from
flint, fractures for marrow extraction and bites
human. These signs are evidence of a particular treatment of
bodies after death, suggesting the practice of cannibalism.
as a funeral rite linked to mourning. This act could
to have been a way of expressing an affectionate gesture, a
recognition of the connection to a loved one or close one,
whose bond was to be preserved.
3- Cut marks made with flint seen under a microscope.
4- Human tooth mark as seen by Electron Microscopy.
Mandible of a 7-8 year old child with different markings on its surface.
