Increasing contextual information by merging existing archaeological data with state of the art laser scanning in the prehistoric funerary deposit of Pastora Cave, Eastern Spain

In this paper we present a virtual reconstruction of prehistoric funerary practices in Pastora Cave, a collective burial site in Eastern Spain that dates from the Late Neolithic, Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. Modern data of the cave was captured by 3D laser scanning techniques and added to recorded archaeological data and 3D graphic information. The combination of these data sets allowed us to create a hypothetical reconstruction to analyze the material excavated in the 1940s and 50s in greater spatial context. A 3D model of the current cave was created in order to serve as a basis for modeling the relative stratigraphic information available. We present the methodology employed and the results and implications of the analysis for Pastora Cave with particular emphasis on the spatial and chronological data.

► Pastora is a burial site dated from the Late Neolithic, Chalcolithic to Bronze Age. ► Modern data was captured by 3D laser scanning techniques. ► We combine distinct datasets to build a reconstruction of funerary episodes. ► 3D modeling, C14 and excavation data allows us to recognize three burial phases.