Xavier Terradas

Associated Researcher

Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
IMF – Arqueología de las dinámicas sociales
c/ Egipcíaques, 15
08001 Barcelona
Spain

  (+351) 289 800 988
  vlaldeias@ualg.pt
  J25

Research Interests

Analysis of socioeconomic strategies throughout prehistoric times. I’m primarily interested on the economic behaviour and socioeconomic strategies put into practice by the last communities of hunter-gatherers and their dynamics of change towards a farming economy, developing projects in both extremes of the Mediterranean, eastern and western, attending its variability within a wide geographical frame.
• Study of technological innovations and technical skills in Prehistory. I pay special attention to the way prehistoric communities managed mineral resources to produce their stone tools. Thus, part of my research has been focused on the study of raw materials availability, coordinating a project focused on the creation of a Lithotheque –or reference collection of rocks- addressing the availability of siliceous rocks in NE Iberia (LITOcat Project) and focused on archaeological research.
• Identification and study of production contexts. Last years we have launched a research project aimed at studying quarries and specific sites where the first transformation of siliceous raw materials took place. Studying these archaeological sites can provide important data about fundamental aspects of the first stages in the production processes, as their design is indicative of planning in the community’s production system.

Short Bio

• 1993-1988. Basic Degree in History and Archaeology. Autonomous University of Barcelona.
• 1992-1993. MSc Method and Theory in Archaeology. Autonomous University of Barcelona.
• 1991-1994. Scholarship for PhD in the Spanish National Research Council (IMF Institute, Barcelona).
• 1995. PhD in Prehistory and Archaeology in 1995. Autonomous University of Barcelona.
• 1996-1997. Postdoctoral Grant in the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) attached to the ‘Prehistory and Technology’ Team in Paris and Nice – Sophia Antipolis.
• 1998. Researcher. Spanish National Research Council (IMF Institute, Barcelona).
• 1999-2001. Assistant Lecturer at the Autonomous Univ. of Barcelona (Dept. of Prehistory).
• 2002-2008. Tenured Scientist at Spanish National Research Council (IMF Institute, Barcelona).
Since 2009. Research Scientist at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), attached to the IMF Institute (Archaeology of Social Dynamics Group) in Barcelona.
• 4 positively evaluated sections of research activity (1991-1996, 1997-2002, 2003-2008 and 2009-2014) by the National Evaluating Commission of the Research Activity (CNEAI) from the Science and Innovation Spanish Ministry.
• Head of Department of Archaeology and Anthropology at CSIC – IMF Institute (2008-2009).
• Head of the Research Line «Stability and change in human communities: past, present and future» at CSIC – IMF Institute (2010-2013).

KEY PUBLICATIONS

Publications on the last 5 years include:

Books
• Palomo, A.; Piqué, R. and TERRADAS, X. (eds.) (2013). Experimentación en Arqueología. Estudio y difusión del pasado. Museu d’Arqueologia de Catalunya (Sèrie monogràfica 25, 2 vols.), Barcelona.

• Tarriño, A.; Morgado, A. and TERRADAS, X. (eds.) (2016). Sílex: trazadores litológicos de larga distancia durante la Prehistoria de la Península Ibérica. Universidad de Granada (Cuadernos de Prehistoria y Arqueología de la Universidad de Granada, 26), Granada.

• Pereira, T.; TERRADAS, X. and Bicho, N.F. (eds.) (2017). Raw materials exploitation in Prehistory: sourcing, processing and distribution. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. Link

• Gibaja, J.F.; TERRADAS, X.; Ibáñez, J.J. and Mazzucco, N. (eds.) (2018): The expansion of the Neolithic in the Central-Western Mediterranean. Special issue on Quaternary International.

Papers on peer reviewed journals
• TERRADAS, X. and Ortega, D. (2017). Flint quarrying in north-eastern Iberia: quarry sites and the initial transformation of raw material. Antiquity, 91(359). doi: 10.15184/aqy.2017.167 Link

• Revelles, J.; Burjachs, F.; Palomo, A.; Piqué, R.; Iriarte, E.; Pérez-Obiol, R. and TERRADAS, X. (2017). Human-environment interaction during the Mesolithic- Neolithic transition in the NE Iberian Peninsula. Vegetation history, climate change and human impact during the Early-Middle Holocene in the Eastern Pre-Pyrenees. Quaternary Science Reviews. doi: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2017.08.025 Link

• Verdún-Castelló, E.; Palomo, A.; Piqué, R.; Saña, M. and TERRADAS, X. (2017). The consumption of molluscs in the first farming societies: the Neolithic settlement of La Draga (northeast of the Iberian Peninsula). Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences. doi: 10.1007/s12520-017-0532-3 Link

• Oms, F.X.; TERRADAS, X.; Morell, B. and Gibaja, J.F. (2017). Mesolithic-Neolithic transition in the northeast of Iberia: Chronology and socioeconomic dynamics. Quaternary International. doi: 10.1016/j.quaint.2017.06.003 Link

• Revelles, J.; Burjachs, F.; Morera, N.; Barceló, J.A.; Berrocal, A.; López-Bultó, O.; Maicher, C.; Le Bailly, M.; Piqué, R.; Palomo, A. and TERRADAS, X. (2017). Use of space and site formation processes in a Neolithic lakeside settlement. Pollen and non-pollen palynomorphs spatial analysis in La Draga (Banyoles, NE Iberia). Journal of Archaeological Science 81: 101-115. doi: 10.1016/j.jas.2017.04.001 Link

• Ortega, D.; Roqué, C.; Ibáñez, J.; Beamud, E.; Larrasoaña, J.C.; Sáez, A. and TERRADAS, X. (2017). The chert from the Castelltallat Formation (south-central Pyrenees): archaeometric characterization and archaeological implications. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences. doi: 10.1007/s12520-016-0458-1 Link

• Piqué, R.; Romero, S.; Palomo, A.; Tarrús, J.; TERRADAS, X. and Bogdanovic, I. (2016). The production and use of cordage at the early Neolithic site of La Draga (Banyoles, Spain). Quaternary International. doi: 10.1016/j.quaint.2016.05.024 Link

• Remolins, G.; Gibaja, J.F.; Allièse, F.; Fontanals, M.; Martin, P.; Masclans, A.; Mazzucco, N.; Mozota, M.; Oliva, M.; Oms, X.; TERRADAS, X., Subirà, M.E. and Llovera, X. (2016). The Neolithic necropolis of La Feixa del Moro (Juberri, Andorra): New data on the first farming communities in the Pyrenees. Comptes Rendus Palevol, 15(5): 537-554. doi: 10.1016/j.crpv.2015.11.005 Link

• Pereira, T.; Bicho, N.; Cascalheira, J.; Infantini, L.; Marreiros, J.; Paixão, E. and TERRADAS, X. (2016). Territory and abiotic resources between 33 and 15.6 ka at Vale Boi (SW Portugal). Quaternary International. doi: 10.1016/j.quaint.2015.08.071 Link

• Revelles, J.; Cho, S.; Iriarte, E.; Burjachs, F.; Van Geel, B.; Palomo, A.; Piqué, R.; Peña-Chocarro, L. and TERRADAS, X. (2015). Mid-Holocene vegetation history and Neolithic land-use in the Lake Banyoles area (Girona, Spain). Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 435: 70-85. doi: 10.1016/j.palaeo.2015.06.002 Link

• Gibaja, J.F.; Subirà, M.E.; TERRADAS, X.; Santos, F.J.; Agulló, L.; Gómez-Martínez, I.; Allièse, F. and Fernández-López de Pablo, J. (2015). The Emergence of Mesolithic Cemeteries in SW Europe: Insights from the El Collado (Oliva, Valencia, Spain) Radiocarbon Record. PLoS ONE 10(1): 1-18. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0115505 Link

• Piqué, R.; Palomo, A.; TERRADAS, X.; Tarrús, J.; Buxó, R.; Bosch, A.; Chinchilla, J.; Bodganovic, I. and Saña, M. (2015). Characterizing prehistoric archery: technical and functional analyses of the Neolithic bows from la Draga (NE Iberian Peninsula). Journal of Archaeological Science, 55: 166-173. doi: 10.1016/j.jas.2015.01.005 Link

• Balbo, A.L.; Cabanes, D.; García-Granero, J.J.; Bonet, A.; Ajithprasad, P. and TERRADAS, X. (2015). A microarchaeological approach for the study of pits. Environmental Archaeology, 20(4): 390-405. doi: 10.1179/1749631414Y.0000000044 Link

• TERRADAS, X.; Gratuze, B.; Bosch, J.; Enrich, R.; Esteve, X.; Oms, F.X. and Ribé, R. (2014). Neolithic diffusion of obsidian in the western Mediterranean: new data from Iberia. Journal of Archaeological Science 41: 69-78. doi: 10.1016/j.jas.2013.07.023 Link

• Revelles, J.; Antolín, F.; Berihuete, M.; Burjachs, F.; Buxó, R.; Caruso, L.; López, O.; Palomo, A.; Piqué, R. and TERRADAS, X. (2014). Landscape transformation and economic practices among the first farming societies in Lake Banyoles (Girona, Spain). Environmental Archaeology 19(3): 298-310. doi: 10.1179/1749631414Y.298 0000000033 Link

RESEARCH

• Since 2003 up to the present: Coordination of the LITOcat Project, consisting in a scientific Network about the siliceous rocks availability in the Northeastern of the Iberian Peninsula for the stone tools production in Prehistory, sponsored by the Culture Department of the Government of Catalonia.
• Since 2006 to 2008: Coordination of the scientific research Project «Identifying aims in prehistoric mining exploitation through the study of lithic production remains», financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Education (ref. HUM2005-05732-C02-02).
• Since 2010: Coordination of a scientific research Team focused on the origin of farming communities in the Northeastern Iberia including the projects:
• 2010-2012: “Lakeshore occupations and resources management among first farming communities in Northeastern Iberia”, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (ref. HAR2009-13494-C02-01);
• 2013-2016. “Social organization of first farming communities based on the study of household: production vs consumption places”, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (ref. HAR2012-38838-C02-01);
• 2017-2019: “Productions, technical variability and technological innovation in the Neolithic”, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (ref. HAR2016-76534-C2-2-R).
• Since 2014 to 2017: coordination of the project «Prehistoric and historic uses of flint in Catalonia: Contexts of extraction and first transformation», funded by the Department of Culture of the Government of Catalonia (Grant 2014/100778)