Activities
Daily technologies - Argaric Culture
The evidence that we have for textile activities in the Argaric period are scarce and fragmentary and can be of two types, direct evidence, as remains of cloth or wool, and indirect evidence such as loom weights and associated structures, fragments of spindles, or the existence of raw materials as linseeds or sheep. The fabric was woven presumably on vertical looms with weights, since in the Cerro de la Encina site there have been recovered a great amount of clay cylindrical objects with one or two holes. In most cases these weights are grouped along a wall or a structure that was holding a wooden frame, usually located near doors and windows to take advantage of natural light.
We must not forget other activities related to this activity as basketry and cordage on esparto. In different Argaric sites there have been documented both objects and fragments of unmanufactured straw which suggests that the preparation process of the fiber was performed there. Finally, and also related to textile work, appear in bone or metal awls are frequent findings, not only daily contexts, but also in symbolic ones, since they appear among the grave goods of the female graves throughout all the Argaric period and regardless of the richness of the grave goods or the age of the buried woman.
PASTWOMEN CALENDAR
Happy 2026!
As every year, the Pastwomen calendar is here. For now, it's only available in Spanish; we'll be uploading versions in other languages in the coming days.
DOCUMENTARY AWARD
The documentary Off the Archeological Record, produced by the UAB and the Pastwomen network, has been awarded the EITB prize for gender perspective at the 25th edition of the Bidasoa International Archaeological Film Festival (FICAB), held in November 2025. To watch the documentary trailer, click here.


