A MINE USED BY FIVE GENERATIONS

Thirteen objects were radiocarbon dated. The aim was to define the period of use of the mine and to determine it rate of expansion over time. Samples recovered from different shafts distributed all around the site were dated: 10 fragments of Holm/Kermes oak, two of juniper, and a piece of bone belonging to Ovis aries. The samples of shorter-lived juniper and Ovis aries were included to help refine the dating of the longer-lived oak samples.

With the exception of one result, ages of 5200-5300 cal BC were returned, suggesting that the mine was exploited by no more than five generations of Neolithic groups.  However, it was not possible to determine in which spatial direction the mine grew over time.