The marine chert from Las Lezas (Biel, Zaragoza) and its prehistoric exploitation.

Abstract

The upper Arba de Biel Basin hosts an interesting archaeological ensemble composed by five sites that were repeatedly occupied by human groups from the Upper Magdalenian until the Chalcolithic (between ca. 15,000 and 4,500 years calBP). This work presents the first results of the petrographic study of the local chert (Las Lezas), as well as a dissection of the different strategies concerning its gathering, management and exploitation in every occupation period. The implications derived from the different contribution of local and exogenous raw materials are exposed in the final section of our work.