Herders in the mountains and farmers in the plains? A comparative evaluation of the archaeobiological record from Neolithic sites in the eastern Iberian Pyrenees and the southern lower lands

Mountain sites are usually seen as sites connected to pastoral or transhumant activities. This paper proposes an alternative interpretation for Neolithic mountain sites found in the southern Pyrenean slopes. The archaeobotanical and archaeozoological record of highland and lowland sites from this region is compared in order to observe any differences in crop and animal husbandry. Available data indicate that mountain sites present a similar record to the one observed in the lowlands. Most sites show clear evidence of permanent activity, including agriculture, as well as other practices connected to medium- to long-term strategies like storage of plant products. We propose that more integrated analyses are needed in this and other regions to fully characterize mountain economy during the Neolithic, since no clear evidence of pastoralism or transhumance has been found.