Absolute Chronology and Demographic Insights from the Exceptional Infantile Chalcolithic Necropolis of the Galería del Sílex (Atapuerca, Spain)

Galería del Sílex, (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain), is a site of human occupation from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age. This study presents 11 radiometric dates on human remains from the central area of the gallery, which date to the first third of the 3rd millennium BCE (pre-Bell Beaker). The assemblage represents an outstanding funerary space in European prehistory dedicated almost exclusively to young children, indicating a specific mortuary practice for this age group. This pattern may explain the scarcity of young children in other funerary contexts of the period and suggests that they held recognized social status within pre-Bell Beaker communities. Comparison with two contemporary sites in the Sierra de Atapuerca region shows continuous funerary use of caves for more than three centuries. Interestingly, each of the three caves exhibits distinct funerary practices, especially in the treatment of children, which may reflect social differences among the individuals interred.