The first farming communities in the Southwest European Coast: A traceological approach to the lithic assemblage of Vale Pincel I

• A techno-economic approach to the Vale Pincel I lithic assemblage is presented.
• The use of bended sickle for crop-harvesting activities is suggested.
• A mixed farming-foraging economy is suggested.
• Vale Pincel I lithic assemblage testifies an early onset of agricultural practices.

Vale Pincel I is one of the most relevant sites for the study of the Neolithic transition in the Southwest Portuguese Coast. Despite that, the acidity of sediments prevented the conservation of the botanical and faunal materials at the site, limiting its interpretation. In this work, we present the results of the traceological analysis of the Vale Pincel I flaked stone assemblage; our objective is to advance a first reconstruction of the site economy on the basis of the working process observed by the microscopic observation of a sample of lithic tools. The results indicate that at Vale Pincel I crop-harvesting activities covered a primary role, suggesting an early onset of agricultural practices in Southwestern Portugal. Moreover, a variety of different production tasks have been detected, pointing toward the existence of a mixed type of economy in which farming interplayed with foraging and crafting practices.