La transición a la Edad del Hierro en Baleares. De los intercambios con navegación de cabotaje aborigen al comercio hegemónico fenicio

Abstract

In this paper, we wish to present a relatively unknown aspect of the Late Bronze Age in the Balearics: maritime trade with other mainland communities. This study covers a period between c. 1300 and 800 BC; one that is characterized, among other things, by a substantial rise in trading exchanges with the outside world. The islands’ native populations gain access to a large amount of bronze and tin, and it is the period in Balearic prehistory when we find the most varied, finest-quality bronze instruments, with some containing a percentage of tin of up to 28/30%. Small personal adornments have also been identified made of pure tin. Coinciding with this, large barrel-shaped ceramic containers were made, numerous examples of which have been found in some coastal settlements. During this period, communities in Mallorca and Menorca, and also in Ibiza and Formentera developed a system of short-haul maritime trade. For this purpose, a series of settlements were founded, distributed along the coastlines of all the islands. Chronologically, in its latest phase (900-800 BC), this process coincides with the presence iron and some Phoenician imports.

Keywords

• Late Bronze Age
• Balearic Islands
• maritime exchange
• coastal settlement
• Phoenician colonization