The Cerro de la Virgen (Orce, Granada) graves. Chronological and social differences

Abstract

A cronoespacial analysis of argaric graves from Cerro de la Virgen is presented in this paper. The possibilities for the study of social differentiation based on graves shape and content will be evaluated. It also will take into account, both the temporal variable got from the C-14 dating made on human  bone samples and the spatial location to explore the existence of possible associations amongst them. Despite the small size of the sample and its spatial concentration, which only allows us to appreciate  differences between different areas of the site, the results suggest that social differentiation in the Cerro de la Virgen is quite sharply since the beginning of the Bronze Age as correponds to a high level political center.