Fuel uses in Cabeço da Amoreira shellmidden: An insight from charcoal analyses

Wood charcoal is an important tool for inferring human use of fire and exploitation of woodland resources. Using Cabeço da Amoreira shellmidden as study case, this paper aims to understand fuelwood use in the site, identifying patterns of wood exploitation and combustion related to different activities. Pine wood and presence of oak are the most common and are present in almost every context. Minor taxa is present, but the relation with specific activities in the site is not conclusive. However, data seem to indicate a usage of deadwood and exploitation of the most abundant taxa in the Muge valley.