About an old necklace bead of presumably Canary Islands origin

              Almogaren XXXIV / 2003 Wien 2003 249 - 257
F. J. Martin-Gil, M. C. Ramos-Sanchez, J. Martin-Gil,
P. Martin-Ramos & T. Gil-Negro*
About an old necklace bead of presumably
Canary Islands origin
Key words: lberian Peninsula, Canary Islands, Berbers, necklace bead, archaeology,
Eneolithic, microanalysis, phonolites
Resumen:
La presente comunicacion es relativa a una cuenta de collar trabajada en pie­dra
volcanica, encontrada en un yacimiento de epoca eneolitica del centro de
la Peninsula lberica que, por su composicion mineral proxima a la de yaci­mientos
de las Islas Canarias, se presta a especulaciones sobre su procedencia.
La posibilidad de que la cuenta de collar tenga su origen en las Islas Canarias
reactiva la problematica de las relaciones primitivas entre Europa y Africa
del Noroeste. Por otra parte, la forma "avanzada" de la pieza ilustra la reso­nancia
de estructuras humanas a traves del tiempo.
Abstract:
The reported finding gives evidence that a necklace bead, primitively worked
in volcanic rock, arrived at the centre ofthe lberian Peninsula to an Eneolithic
site. The possibility of Canary Islands origin for the bead raises intriguing
questions on early Europe-NorthwestAfrica relationships. On the other hand,
the "advanced" form of the piece illustrates the resonance of human struc­tures
throughout time.
Zusammenfassung:
Der vorliegende Bericht beschreibt eine einfache, aus vulkanischem Gestein
gefertigte Halsperlenkette, die kupferzeitlich das Zentrum der Iberischen
Halbinsel erreichte. Ihr möglicher Ursprung auf den Kanarischen Inseln auf­grund
der mineralischen Zusammensetzung wirft Fragen zur Problematik der
Beziehungen zwischen Europa und Nordwestafrika erneut auf. Darüber hinaus
zeigt die "fortgeschrittene" Form der Kette den Widerhall menschlicher Denk­strukturen
über die Zeiten hinweg.
* Laboratorio de lnvestigaciones sobre Medio Ambiente y Conservacion del Patrimonio
H.-A. de Castilla y Leon. University ofValladolid. ETS Ingenieria Agraria, Avenida de
Madrid,57, E-34004 Palencia (Spain).
249
© Del documento, los autores. Digitalización realizada por ULPGC. Biblioteca Universitaria, 2017
Introduction
A tire-shaped bead from presumably Eneolithic era has been found in the
archaeological site "Virgen de Siete Iglesias" in Matapozuelos (41° 25' N; 4°
47' W), Valladolid, Spain. The bead was repeatedly collected and rejected
because it resembled almost perfectly the aspect of a toy car tire (Fig. 1).
Finally, the specimen excited our curiosity and it was studied.
Material and methods
The bead is a lusterless black piece, 0.8 centimeter high, 1.6 centimeter
wide, 0.6 centimeter in interior diameter and 2.1 grams in weight. Inside the
piece is relatively smooth, whereas outside it shows the typical spaced marks
that tires exhibit. The rigidity from its inorganic nature can be confounded
with that expected for plastic materials largely exposed in the open air. When
beaten against other solid, give out a ringing sound. This is the typical case in
which the physical-chemical analysis methods become essential to gain in­formation
on the true nature of a material.
The bead was studied by microscopy, wavelength dispersive X-ray fluo­rescence
(XRF-WDS), and radiography. Microscopic examination was per­formed
on a Leica M655 microscope with use of a video system for reception
of the enhanced images. These images were obtained photographically from
the video screen. The apparatus used for XRF-WDS microanalysis was a
Philips PW 480 spectrometer with a Li/Ge-detector, working at both 50 kcps
and 200 kcps. Conventional radiographic plate was obtained using a Philips
x-ray unit for osteology diagnostic. The unit consisted of a x-ray generator,
150 kW in power, and a compact Diagnost2 tube. Also, specific gravity was
measured by hydrostatic balance.
Results
Under an intense white light the piece is translucent and green in color.
Microscopy study ofthe bead showed it as a fine grained compact lava (or slag),
almost vitreous, grayish-green in color and with inclusions of green, red and
white monocrystals (Fig. 2), as bear the volcanic rocks when the magma cooled.
Microscopy also allowed us to see that it was carefully carved on one side by
hand with aid of a spindle (possibly, fixed in a tubular support). Inside, there are
remains of a brown material with appearance of mastic.
The radiographic plate after x-ray exposure showed the low porosity of
the piece and its good conservation (Fig. 3).
Microanalysis indicated that the bead is a rock with sodium, calcium and
silicium as major elements, with only a moderate amount of iron, potassium
250
© Del documento, los autores. Digitalización realizada por ULPGC. Biblioteca Universitaria, 2017
and manganese, while magnesium is not present. (Fig. 4). This composition,
extremely unusual for a natural sample, has a close resemblance to a type of
phonolithes that we have seen in Canary Islands (La Palma, Complejo Basal
de Fuerteventura and Aripe site, near Guia de Isora, Tenerife), rich in soda­iron
piroxenes (as the dark green aegirine-augite or the blackish green
aegirine) and apatite. Also, we have identified in the ground-mass of the bead
small crystals of garnet, quartz (or vitrous nepheline) and diopside, frequent
in these rocks.
Specific gravity measurement showed a value of2.5 g.cm-3• This result is
consistent with a light weathering of the original material (the specific grav­ity
of both feldspars and feldspathoids is 2.6 g.cm-3).
Archaeologically, in basis of remaining findings in the site (Fig. 5) and
surrounding settlements (Fuente Olmedo, Arrabal de Portillo, Samboal and
Pajares de Ada ja), the bead could be dated from 2600 years B.C. as pertaining
to Spanish Bell-Beaker culture (Martin-Valls, 1974). In that period, the peo­ple
of our area were distinguished for their craftsmanship in the production
of adornments of all kinds. They used a variety of materials for necklaces,
including foreign semi-precious stones (black onyx, variscite, turquoise,
amber, jet, lignite, ... ) but no volcanic rocks such as that described above or
similar (mainly found in the Canary Islands (Gonzalez-Ant6n, 1990)). On the
other hand, although the beadwork is typical of that used in Neolithic and
Eneolithic age, bored with silex spindle (Noain, 1977; Piel-Desruisseau, 1989),
the bead form is not the usual discoid but more larger and wider. In addition,
the peripheral decoration (Fig. 6), reminding one of the marks on Sumerian
seals, those of car tires or the zigzags on ceramic vessels, is unusual on beads.
Conclusions
Usually, exotic pieces found in archaeological sites from Upper Paleolithic,
Neolithic and Eneolithic era have been considered "prestige objects" and they
were put in relationship with communities and/or elite with power ofholding
trading at a long distance (Jorge, 1992; White, 1993; Delibes de Castro, 1995).
As concerns the necklace bead of this study, possible early findings in our
geographic area of archaeological pieces in volcanic rock were ignored due to
lack of knowledge of their composition. The problem arises from the African
origin of the piece and mainly from the possible Canary Islands point of de­parture.
Today there is abundant evidence, mainly linguistic (Alonso, 1997a;
Alonso, 1997b; The Editor, 1999) and genetic (Schwidetzky, 1963; Arnaiz
Villena, 1997), favourable to admitting the same origin (Saharan, Proto­Berber
or Proto-Amazigh) for Guanches, Tartesicians, Iberians, Etruscans
251
© Del documento, los autores. Digitalización realizada por ULPGC. Biblioteca Universitaria, 2017
and Sumerians. The risk lies in stating that some thousands of years before
the discovery of the Canary Islands by the Europeans, some people travelled
from the Islands to the Iberian Peninsula, directly or through Berber land. Since
Guanche people had no knowledge of navigation at the conquest time (Krzak,
1973; Anonymous, 1998), the question is who carried the bead to the Peninsula.
Was it a Proto-Berber from the 2800 B.C. (during the first Berber expansion)
that traded with the Guanches and then built a settlement in the present ar­chaeological
site? Or was it some Berber warrior, previously visiting an old site
at the Canary Islands, left in passing during one of the multiple razzia that dev­astated
the Castilian villages from 8'h century (Tarik Ben Ziad) to the 11 th cen­tury
(Mohamed Aben Abi Amir, Al-Mansur-Billah)? We believe that no possi­bility
can be discarded, even the first. We think that by 3000 B.C. (or much
earlier), some primitive people (Serra Rafols, 1969; Laoust, 1992; Alonso, 1997a;
Ben Madison, 1999) could cross both the 100 km that separate the Canary Is­lands
and ContinentalAfrica and the 40 km that separate NorthAfrica and Spain,
with simple watercraft and some <lose of maritime savvy.
As concerns the shape of the bead, a key motif for the theory and apology
of abstraction is the resonance between different old and modern human
structures. The fascination arises when we investigate the principles behind
similar forms in time and space. In our case, the question is related to a prin­ciple
laid down in 1894 by Pierre Curie. Curie's Principle states that symmet­ric
causes produce equally symmetric effects (Stewart, 1994). For example,
this implies that structures with D00h symmetry are destined to rotate, either
on a cord (as the necklace bead) or on an axis (as the tire in a car or a seal in
a ring-seal). This is important, because for many purposes it is the symmetries
of an object that are primary. We think that artists, anthropologists and scien­tists
must share an intuitive and intellectual communion with the static of
natural forms at a profound level.
In respect to the decoration, the zigzag representation is an old aquatic
symbol. The presence of the zigzag on the edge of circular objects (symbol of
the sky in its relationships to the land) has represented, for most cultures, the
waters of the sea (or the mountains) that surround and limit the land world
(Oceanos)(Champeaux, 1972). lt can not be forgotten that symbolism and deco­ration
are correlative and difficult to differentiate. This gives cause for a prob­lern
that individuals of our time have been trying fruitlessly to solve.
As concerns the possibility of using the bead as an amulet, in Mediterra­nean
areas of the Iberian Peninsula, the belief that the only natural remedy
against infertility are like-olivine green stones (mounted as a jewel), persists
to this day (Salazar Agullo, 1999).
252
© Del documento, los autores. Digitalización realizada por ULPGC. Biblioteca Universitaria, 2017
In conclusion, the reported finding only gives evidence that a primitively
worked piece in volcanic rock arrived at the centre ofthe Iberian Peninsula to
an Eneolithic site. However, the very high possibility of Canary Islands ori­gin
for the bead raises intriguing questions on early Europe-Northwest Af­rica
relationships. On the other hand, the "advanced" form of the piece illus­trates
the resonance of human structures throughout time.
References:
Alonso, J. (1997a): El etrusco por fin ha dejado de ser un secreto. EI Mundo
(Cr6nica) 9, 17.
Alonso, J. (1997b): Desciframiento de la lengua etrusca. Le6n: Ed. Generic.
Anonymous (1998): Historia de Fuerteventura. Prehistoria. Fuerteventura:
Publicaciones de! Cabildo Insular de Fuerteventura.
(http://www.cabildofuer.es/municipios/historia.html).
Arnaiz Villena, A. et al. (1997): Estudio lingüistico y genetico comparado en
poblaciones mediterraneas antiguas e ibericas. Universidad Complutense
de Madrid. Expediente 06/0070/1997
Ben Madison R. (1999): Funnel-Necked Beaker People* and Berbers Sailed
in the Ocean Blue**. In: R. Ben Madison, Ed. Tue Berber Project, eh. 3 and 4.
* (http: //www.execpc.com/-talossa/berb3.html)
** (http: //www.execpc.com/-talossa/berb4.html)
Champeaux, G.; Sterckx, S. (1972): Le monde des Symbols. St. Leger Vauban:
Ed. Zodiaque.
Delibes de Castro, G. (1995): Ritos funerarios, demografia y estructura so­cial
entre las comunidades neoliticas de la Submeseta Norte. In R. Fabrega,
F. Perez and C. Fernandez, Eds. Arqueoloxia da morte, pp. 64, 70 and 86.
Xinzo de Limia: Ed. Excmo. Concello de Xinzo de Limia.
Gonzalez-Ant6n, R.; Tejera-Gaspar, A. (1990): Los aborigenes canarios. Ma­drid:
Ed. Istmo
Jorge, VO. (1992): As mamoas funerarias do Norte de Portugal como elemen­tos
indicadores de uma progresiva complexidade social: esboco da questao.
Revista da Faculdade de Letras 9, 463-480.
Krzak, Z. (1973): The problem of reconstructing an Afro-Iberian ship from
the neolithic age.-Almogaren III/1972, Graz 1973, 147-174.
Laoust, E. (1992): Pecheurs herberes du Sous.- Revista Hesperis 2, 238-264.
Martin-Valls, R.; Delibes-de-Castro, G. (1974): La Cultura del Vaso Campani­forme
en las Campifi.as Meridionales del Duero. El Enterramiento de
Fuente Olmedo (Valladolid). Valladolid: Monografias del Museo Arqueo-
16gico de Valladolid.
253
© Del documento, los autores. Digitalización realizada por ULPGC. Biblioteca Universitaria, 2017
Noain, M.J. (1977): El proceso de fabricaci6n de las cuentas de collar en
variscita. Boletin de Arqueologia Experimental 1.
(http: //www.ffil.uam.es/BAEX97 /variscit.htm).
Piel-Desruisseau (1989): Outils prehistoriques. Paris: Ed. Masson, S.A
Salazar Agu116, M., Navarra Pellicer, S.; Gonzalez Rodriguez, M. (1999): An­tropologia
del embarazo, parto y puerperio en la ciudad de Elche, Elche,
Spain. (http: //enfe.ua.es/cultura/numero2/antropo3.html)
Schwidetzky, I. (1963): La poblaci6n prehispanica de las Islas Canarias. Inves­tigaciones
Antropol6gicas. Santa Cruz de Tenerife: Publicaciones del
Museo Antropol6gico de Tenerife.
Serra Rafols, E. (1969): La navegaci6n primitiva en los mares de Canarias.
Revista de Historia Canaria 119-120, 83-91.
Stewart, I. (1994): Fearful symmetry. Life in a mass-produced universe. He­lix
3 (1), 13-19.
The Editor (1999): Cultura amazigh e identidad etnica. Africa Internacional
19. (http: //www.eurosur.org/ai/19/afrl 904.htm).
White, R. (1993): El pensamiento visual en la Edad del Hielo. In Origenes del
hombre moderno, pp. 98-105. Barcelona: Libros de Investigaci6n y Ciencia.
Captions of figures:
Figure 1: Shape of the bead from presumably Eneolithic era found in the ar­chaeological
site "Virgen de Siete Iglesias" in Matapozuelos ( 41 ° 25' N; 4 °
47' W), Valladolid (Spain). (a) View from the pole whereby it was carved;
(b) View from the another pole.
Figure 2: Monocrystal inclusions in the fine grained crystal lava in which is
worked the necklace bead from Matapozuelos, Valladolid (Spain).
Figure 3: Radiographie plate after x-ray exposure ofthe necklace bead from
Matapozuelos, Valladolid (Spain). (a) Polar view; (b) Lateral view.
Figure 4: XRF-WDS spectra ofthe necklace bead from Matapozuelos, Valla­dolid
(Spain).
Figure 5: Archaeological findings in the site "Virgen de Siete Iglesias" in Ma­tapozuelos,
Valladolid (Spain).
Figure 6: Peripheral decoration marks of the necklace bead from Matapozu­elos,
Valladolid (Spain).
254
© Del documento, los autores. Digitalización realizada por ULPGC. Biblioteca Universitaria, 2017
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
255
© Del documento, los autores. Digitalización realizada por ULPGC. Biblioteca Universitaria, 2017
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
50.00
~ l,CPS 415 .88 ·- SI :Ji II& Fe I'• ltn SI Al .. 11A 11 .. IIA KA Cft 11 "" I I 11A
C 48 .00 .C..U. II i i II C ,31& .ee
ilJJI
... 318.08 II
zs .ee II :z,e .oe
15.00 II
18 .00 11 11 I I
S.000
·- /\.. \ 10 .00 20.00 30 .00 5 0 .00 55. 00 !,0 .00 b!;. OO 110 .0 158 .
288 .8 .-- -
1'Cl'S c. C. 1( 1(
190 . 0 III 11A JOI 11A
1&0 .0
\40.0
120 .0
100 .0
00.08
60 .00 ·
40.00
28 .00 · J\ \ 1
.0000
')0 .0 100.0 1 10 .0 120 .0 130 .o liO .O
Two theta (degrees)
256
© Del documento, los autores. Digitalización realizada por ULPGC. Biblioteca Universitaria, 2017
Fig. 5
257
© Del documento, los autores. Digitalización realizada por ULPGC. Biblioteca Universitaria, 2017
© Del documento, los autores. Digitalización realizada por ULPGC. Biblioteca Universitaria, 2017