THE MIDDLE NEOLITHIC IN PORTUGAL: THE RESEARCH HISTORY

Abstract

In the scientific debate about the Neolithisation process in Westen Iberia, one of the less characterized cultural phases in discussion is the Middle Neolithic. If, in one hand, the archaeological research understands its decisive importance in the evolution of Neolithic societies, on the other hand this moment is still associated to a lack of scientific knowledge, in opposition to the other Neolithic phases (Early and Late Neolithic).

This paper presents, in a historiographical perspective, the research progress about the Middle Neolithic in the centre and south Portugal, from the 1970s to the present.

In this almost 50-year journey, we will highlight the main archaeologists, scientific studies and archaeological sites that contributed most to the study of this specific chrono-cultural moment, as well as the methodologies adopted and the main goals of the scientific quiz that guided all archaeological actions during the research.