Pyrenean Bronze

{{Short description|Archeological culture in Western Europe}}

{{Infobox archaeological culture

|name = Pyrenean Bronze

|map =

|mapcaption =

|mapalt =

|altnames = North-East Bronze or Northeastern Bronze

|horizon =

|region = provinces of Lleida, Barcelona and Girona, departments of Pyrénees-Orientales and Aude

|period = Early Bronze Age

|dates = {{circa|2300–1650 BC}}

|typesite =

|majorsites =

|extra =

|precededby = Bell Beaker culture, Veraza culture

|followedby = Urnfield culture

}}

The Pyrenean Bronze (also known as Northeastern Bronze) is a regional European Bronze Age culture, known from archaeological facies, that spread through the Spanish provinces of Girona, Barcelona, Lleida and the eastern half of Huesca; also it spread through the French departments of the Pyrenees-Orientales and Aude.{{cite journal |last1=Maya |first1=J. L. |title=Chalcolithic and Bronze Age in Catalonia. In: AA.VV. Aragon/Mediterranean Coast. Cultural exchanges during Prehistory. In Homage to Juan Maluquer de Motes |date=1992 |pages=515–554 |publisher=Institución Fernando el Católico |location=Zaragoza}}

From the Bell Beaker culture (2750-2300 BC), two regional styles appeared in Catalonia, one being the Pyrenean and the other the Salomó (from which the North-East Group was derived). These two styles coexisted at the same time in the provinces of Barcelona and the south of Lleida. From 1650 A.C. the Pyrenean ceramic style gave way to carinated cups, to pots with smooth or digitated cords, as well as to vessels with button appendages on the handle.{{cite journal |last1=BARCELÓ |first1=JOAN A. |title=THE CHRONO-CULTURAL SEQUENCE OF CATALAN PREHISTORY. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF RADIOMETRIC DATING FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE HOLOCENE TO THE IRON AGE |journal=Cypsela |date=2008 |volume=17 |pages=65–88}}

Few settlements are known: Lo Lladre (Llo, Pyrenees-Orientales), Collet de Brics (Ardèvol, Lleida), Institut A. Pous (Manlleu, Barcelona), Roques del Sarró (Lleida), Cedre (Santa Coloma, Andorra).

Advanced bronze metallurgy was developed: flat axes,{{cite journal |last1=Martin De La Cruz |first1=J. C. |title=Els grups del neolític final, calcolític i bronze antic. Els inicis de la metalúrgia |journal=Cota Zero |date=2003 |volume=18 |pages=76–105}}{{cite journal |last1=Soriano |first1=Ignacio |last2=Amorós i Gurrera |first2=Jordi |title=Moldes para puñales en la Península Ibérica durante la Edad del Bronce. El caso de Camp Cinzano (Vilafranca del Penedès, Alt Penedès, Barcelona) |journal=Trabajos de Prehistoria |date=30 December 2014 |volume=71 |issue=2 |pages=368–385 |doi=10.3989/tp.2014.12140|doi-access=free }} needles, rivet daggers, arrowheads, as well as a diadem and two spiral bracelets found in the Montanissell cave. Possibly many of the techniques used had a North Italian origin in the Polada culture (2200–1600 BC).{{cite journal |last1=Martin De La Cruz |first1=J. C. |title=The groups of the late Neolithic, Chalcolithic and Old Bronze. The beginnings of metallurgy |journal=Cota Zero |date=2003 |volume=18 |pages=76–105}}{{cite journal |last1=Soriano |first1=Ignacio |last2=Escanilla |first2=Nicolau |title=Can Mur (Barcelona). Crisoles con sistema de prensión y la metalurgia de la Edad del Bronce en el nordeste de la Península Ibérica |journal=Trabajos de Prehistoria |date=30 June 2016 |volume=73 |issue=1 |pages=160–179 |doi=10.3989/tp.2016.12169|doi-access=free }}

File:Dolmen de Molers.jpg

File:Dolmen de les Maioles, 28.8.10 (27).JPG

File:Carinated bowl MACatalunya Inv26000.jpg decoration, from La Riba site (Sant Just Desvern, Barcelona)]]

Several funeral formats were used:

• pits such as Mas d’en Boixos (Pacs, Barcelona),{{cite journal |last1=Soriano |first1=Ignacio |last2=Amorós i Gurrera |first2=Jordi |title=Moldes para puñales en la Península Ibérica durante la Edad del Bronce. El caso de Camp Cinzano (Vilafranca del Penedès, Alt Penedès, Barcelona) |journal=Trabajos de Prehistoria |date=30 December 2014 |volume=71 |issue=2 |pages=368–385 |doi=10.3989/tp.2014.12140|doi-access=free }} Bosc del Quer (Sant Julià de Vilatorta, Barcelona),{{cite journal |last1=Carlús Martín |first1=Xavier |title=L'Establiment calcolític de Bosc del Quer (Sant Julià de Vilatorta, Osona, Barcelona). Estudi de les principals estructures i de les ceràmiques d'estil campaniforme |journal=Cypsela |date=2014–2016 |volume=20 |pages=63–84}} Can Bonastre (Martorell, Barcelona).
• reuse of silos, such as Camp Cinzano (1950-1650 BC).
• reuse of Chalcolithic hypogea: Carrer Paris (Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona).
• hypogean pits (wells with a side chamber), for collective use: Mas d’en Boixos (Pacs, Barcelona),{{cite journal |last1=Bouso |first1=Mònica |title=COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF TWO EARLY BRONZE SETTLEMENTS IN THE CATALAN PRELITTORAL DEPRESSION: CAN ROQUETA II (SABADELL, VALLÈS OCCIDENTAL) AND MAS D'EN BOIXOS-1 (PACS DEL PENEDÈS, ALT PENEDÈS) |journal=Cypsela |date=2004 |issue=15 |pages=73–101}} Bosc del Quer (Sant Julià de Vilatorta, Barcelona), Can Bonastre (Martorell, Barcelona).
• cists like Camp Cinzano (Vilafranca del Penedès, Barcelona),{{cite journal |last1=Soriano |first1=Ignacio |title=The geminated vase from Camp Cinzano (Vilafranca del Penedès, Barcelona) and the northeast - levante - Ebro Valley relations during the Bronze Age |journal=Revista d'Arqueologia de Ponent |date=2014 |issue=24 |pages=9–25}} or Vall de Miarnau (Llardecans, Lleida).{{cite journal |last1=Morán |first1=Marta |title=A cist grave in the Miarnau Valley (Llardecans, Lérida) |journal=Bolskan |date=2002 |issue=19 |pages=37–51}}
• caves with collective burials: {{interlanguage link|Bòfia de Sant Jaume|ca}} (Montmajor, Barcelona), Cova M del Cingle Blanc (Arbolí, Tarragona), Cova de la Pesseta (Torrelles de Foix, Barcelona), Galls Carboners (Mont-ral, Tarragona),{{cite journal |last1=Vergès |first1=Josep Maria|title=LA COVA DELS GALLS CARBONERS (MONT-RAL, ALT CAMP), UNA CAVITAT D'INHUMACIÓ COL·LECTIVA DURANT L'EDAT DEL BRONZE |journal=Butlletí Arqueològic |date=2016–2017 |volume=V |issue=38–39 |pages=17–43}} {{interlanguage link|Cova del Gegant|ca}} (Sitges, Barcelona),{{cite journal |last1=Daura |first1=Joan |last2=Sanz |first2=Montserrat |last3=Soriano |first3=Ignacio |last4=Pedro |first4=Mireia |last5=Rubio |first5=Ángel |last6=Oliva |first6=Mònica |last7=Francisco Gibaja |first7=Juan |last8=Queralt |first8=Ignasi |last9=Álvarez |first9=Ramon |last10=López-Cachero |first10=F. Javier |title=Objetos de oro y epicampaniforme en la Cova del Gegant. Relaciones en la costa mediterránea de la Península Ibérica durante la Edad del Bronce |journal=Trabajos de Prehistoria |date=21 July 2017 |volume=74 |issue=1 |pages=149 |doi=10.3989/tp.2017.12188|doi-access=free |hdl=2445/120339 |hdl-access=free }} Montanissell cave (Call de Nargó, Lleida).{{cite journal |last1=López |first1=Joan B.|title=Cova de Montanissell (Sallent - Coll de Nargó, Alt Urgell). Operació: "Senyora de les muntanyes" |journal=Cota Zero |date=2005 |issue=20 |pages=27–36}}
• paradolmens or cave-dolmens such {{interlanguage link|Tossal Gros (Torroella de Montgrí)|ca}} in Girona, Masia (Torrelles de Foix, Barcelona), Tafania (Ventalló, Girona), {{interlanguage link|Balma dels Ossos|ca}} (Sallent, Barcelona), Cova Verda (Sitges, Barcelona), etc.
• dolmens (Pyrenean chambers or simple chambers) with stone mounds: Creu de la Llosa, Serrat d'en Jacques, Santes Masses (Solsona, Lleida), {{interlanguage link|Dolmen de Molers|ca}} (Saldes, Barcelona), Castelltallat (Sant Mateu de Bages, Barcelona), Serra de Clarena (Castellfollit del Boix, Barcelona), Maioles (Rubió, Barcelona), etc.{{cite journal |last1=Cura Morera |first1=Miguel |title=Origen i evolució del megalitisme a les comarques centrals i occidentals de Catalunya I: Del neolític mitjà a l'edat de bronze |journal=Cota Zero |date=1987 |issue=3 |pages=76–83}}{{cite journal |last1=Vilardell |first1=Rosó |title=Origen i evolució del megalitisme a les comarques centrals i occidentals de Catalunya II: L'edat de bronze |journal=Cota Zero |date=1987 |issue=3 |pages=84–91}}{{cite journal |last1=Galter |first1=Josep Tarrús |title=Els constructors de megàlits a Catalunya : cistes i dòlmens entre els millennis V-III cal aC |journal=Cota zero: Revista d'arqueologia i ciència |date=11 January 2003 |pages=54–75 |url=https://raco.cat/index.php/CotaZero/article/view/67354 |issn=2385-3190}}

With regard to the megalithic traditions of the Pyrenean Bronze Age, the menhir and cromlech of Mas Baleta (La Jonquera, Girona) also must be included.{{cite journal |last1=Tarrús i Galter |first1=Josep |title=El megalitisme a Catalunya: una breu visió general |journal=Catalan Historical Review |date=2021 |issue=14 |pages=9–20 |doi=10.2436/20.1000.01.173}}