Ancient Iberian Slate Plaques: Early Genealogical Records?
Tracing Ancestry in Stone: How Ancient Iberian Plaques Documented Lineage and Power
Engraved slate plaques from the Late Neolithic and Copper Age (3200–2200 BCE) Iberian Peninsula have long intrigued archaeologists. Found in tombs scattered across the region, these delicately carved, hand-sized artifacts bear geometric designs whose purpose has sparked debate for centuries. A recent study, published in the European Journal of Archaeology1, suggests these plaques may represent one of humanity's earliest attempts at recording genealogy—a non-verbal precursor to modern ancestry documentation.
Led by Professor Katina Lillios and her team, the study uses statistical analysis to propose that these plaques symbolized lineage, documenting connections to founding ancestors. This hypothesis challenges earlier interpretations and sheds light on the social complexity of ancient Iberian communities.
Deciphering the Plaques: A History of Theories
Since the 1800s, scholars have speculated about the meaning of these artifacts, numbering around 1,626 recovered to date. Theories have ranged widely:
Amulets or Cult Objects: Historian Augusto Filippe Simões theorized the plaques functioned as spiritual or symbolic emblems.
Mother Goddess Representations: Some argued the plaques symbolized maternal deities, though the scarcity of human-like features (e.g., eyes, noses) weakens this claim.
Children’s Owl Drawings: Another hypothesis suggested the plaques depicted owls, but the lack of key owl features, such as beaks and prominent eyes, undermines this idea.
The genealogical hypothesis offers a compelling alternative, suggesting the plaques recorded lineage, much like heraldic emblems in medieval Europe.
Key Evidence Supporting Genealogy
The breakthrough in this research emerged when a particularly unique plaque in Lisbon’s Museu Geológico caught Professor Lillios’s attention. One side of the plaque featured what appeared to be a draft with an incorrect number of horizontal lines, while the reverse displayed the corrected design. This discrepancy hinted at a precise significance to the number of lines, beyond mere decoration.
"Sensing that this plaque was a correction helped reinforce the idea that the plaques were recording specific information that had to be accurate," explains Professor Lillios.
Her team analyzed 657 "Classic" plaques, characterized by a decorated "top" (often featuring inverted V-shapes and rays), a "base" with horizontal motifs (e.g., zigzags, triangles), and a transitional band between these sections. The researchers proposed that the base motifs represented specific clans, while the number of horizontal registers corresponded to the number of generations from a founding ancestor.
For example, a plaque with four zigzag registers might indicate a person four generations removed from the founder of the “zigzag clan.”
Geographic and Social Correlations
To test their hypothesis, the researchers conducted statistical analyses on plaque design, geographical distribution, and tomb characteristics. Their findings revealed two significant correlations:
Geographic Spread: Plaques with more registers were found farther from Alentejo, the region where the earliest plaques originated. This suggests register numbers increased with generational distance from the ancestral homeland.
Tomb Size and Social Status: Larger tombs contained more plaques, implying these artifacts were markers of elite status. The plaques likely documented the genealogy of socially prominent individuals, reinforcing hierarchical structures.
"The fact that not everyone received a plaque at death suggests they were reserved for a select group, likely elites," notes Professor Lillios. "These plaques may have helped manage marriages, property rights, or burial privileges."
A Glimpse into Early Social Organization
The plaques' designs may have evolved from earlier, less permanent forms of expression, such as body paint or clothing patterns, which did not survive. Over time, these motifs became formalized into a system for recording lineage, possibly driven by the needs of emerging elite groups to assert and maintain power.
"At the beginning, families or lineages might have simply had particular designs associated with them—like the triangle clan or zigzag clan," says Professor Lillios. "Eventually, these designs were manipulated to convey more precise genealogical information."
Challenges and Future Directions
While ancient DNA analysis could provide definitive proof of the plaques' genealogical purpose, poor skeletal preservation in collective tombs has hindered this approach. However, a relatively undisturbed burial site could someday validate or refute the hypothesis.
"Archaeogenetic studies of individuals buried with plaques would be critical to substantiate this theory," emphasizes Professor Lillios. "The highly disturbed nature of most tombs poses a significant challenge, but new discoveries may yet offer clearer insights."
For now, these engraved plaques stand as a testament to the ingenuity of ancient Iberian societies and their efforts to preserve and communicate their identities.
Related Studies
These articles expand on themes of material culture, identity, and the anthropological interpretations of Iberian engraved plaques.
Lives of Stone, Lives of People: Re-viewing the Engraved Plaques of Late Neolithic and Copper Age Iberia
Author: Lillios, K.
Journal: European Journal of Archaeology, 2004.
PDF Link: ResearchGate
Revisiting the Individual in Prehistory: Idiosyncratic Engraving Variation and the Neolithic Slate Plaques of the Iberian Peninsula
Authors: Thomas, J. T., McCall, G., & Lillios, K.
Journal: Cambridge Archaeological Journal, 2009.
DOI: 10.1017/S095977430900015X
PDF Link: ResearchGate
Experimental Production of the Late Neolithic/Early Chalcolithic Engraved Schist Plaques of Southwestern Iberia
Authors: Gonçalves, V. S., et al.
Journal: Revista Portuguesa de Arqueologia, 2021.
PDF Link: University Repository
Owl-like Plaques of the Copper Age and the Involvement of Children
Authors: Negro, J. J., Blanco, G., & Rodríguez-Rodríguez, E.
Journal: Scientific Reports, 2022.
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23530-0
Heraldry for the Dead: Memory, Identity, and the Engraved Stone Plaques of Neolithic Iberia
Author: Lillios, K.
Book: De Gruyter, 2008.
Link: De Gruyter
The Evolution of Anthropomorphism in the Neolithic Engraved Plaques of Southwestern Iberian Peninsula
Author: García Rivero, D.
Journal: Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2017.
DOI: 10.1007/s12520-016-0331-2
PDF Link: University Repository
Phylogenetic Analysis Shows That Neolithic Slate Plaques from the Southwestern Iberian Peninsula Are Not Genealogical Recording Systems
Authors: García Rivero, D., & O'Brien, M. J.
Journal: PLoS ONE, 2014.
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0088296
Fashioning Identities, Forging Inequalities: Late Neolithic/Copper Age Personal Ornaments of the Portuguese Estremadura
Authors: Thomas, J. T., et al.
Journal: European Journal of Archaeology, 2011.
PDF Link: ResearchGate
Mnemonic Practices of the Iberian Neolithic: The Production and Use of the Engraved Slate Plaque Relics
Author: Lillios, K.
Book Chapter: Material Mnemonics: Everyday Memory in Prehistoric Europe, 2010.
DOI: 10.4324/9780415965545
Changing Perspectives on Mortuary Practices in Late Neolithic/Copper Age and Early Bronze Age Iberia
Author: Weiss-Krejci, E.
Book Chapter: Comparative Archaeologies: Prehistoric Iberia, 2011.
PDF Link: Academia.edu
Lillios, K. T., Tang, Z., & Bowen, J. (2024). The engraved slate plaques of Late Neolithic and Copper Age Iberia: A statistical evaluation of the genealogical hypothesis. European Journal of Archaeology, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1017/eaa.2024.34