From the jaws of the “Leviathan”: A sperm whale tooth from the Valencina Copper Age Megasite
During the excavations undertaken in 2018 at the Nueva Biblioteca sector of the Valencina Copper Age mega-site, in south-west Spain, an exceptional sperm-whale tooth was found inside a non-burial pit. This remarkable object is the first of its kind ever found for Late Prehistoric Iberia. Due to its rarity and importance, a multidisciplinary study was carried out, including photogrammetric 3D modelling, as well as taphonomic, paleontological, technological and contextual analysis. This led to a full characterisation of the artefact through the analysis of its bioerosion traces, anthropogenic marks, depositional context and socio-cultural background. The ensuing discussion covers the history and processes the tooth went through from the death of the animal and disposal on the seabed, through the disarticulation of the tooth to its collection in a coastal environment and its subsequent use and deposition in the pit.
Authors
- Thomas X. Schuhmacher (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6735-1997)
- Rafael María Martínez Sánchez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8947-117X)
- Marta Díaz-Guardamino (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7641-300X)
- Leonardo García Sanjuán (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8404-9252)
- Juan Manuel Vargas Jiménez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5772-1226)
- Luís Miguel Cáceres Puro (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1381-2476)
- Fernando Muñiz Guinea (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5727-3646)
- Joaquin Rodrı́guez Vidal (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9475-3307)
- Miriam Luciañez Triviño (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5281-9304)
- Samuel Cantú Ramírez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-8563-4528)
- Santiago Guillamón Dávila (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4641-4754)
- Antonio Toscano Grande
Institutions
- Durham University (GB)
- Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Zentrale (DE)
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía (ES)
- Ayuntamiento de Sevilla (ES)
- Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom (IT)
- National Archaeological Museum of Spain (ES)
- University of Córdoba (ES)
- Universidad de Huelva (ES)
- Universidad de Sevilla (ES)
Publication Details
- Journal
- PLoS ONE
- Published
- 2025-05-14
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0323773
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 8.27
Funders
- Universidad de Huelva
- Consejería de Conocimiento, Investigación y Universidad, Junta de Andalucía