A carved pendant fashioned from hippopotamus ivory has been identified at a Copper Age site on the Iberian Peninsula, marking the oldest-known artifact made from hippo ivory in this region. Radiocarbon dating places the piece in the late Copper Age, roughly 3,000–2,800 BCE, and the find adds new evidence for long‑distance exchange networks that connected Europe with Africa during prehistory.
What was found
The artifact is a small, curved pendant carved from hippopotamus ivory. Its form and decoration indicate intentional shaping and finishing beyond simple material use, suggesting ceremonial or symbolic value. The piece was recovered during systematic excavations at a Copper Age settlement site on the Iberian Peninsula, where researchers also recovered associated domestic and ritual material culture that helps place the object within a broader cultural context.
Dating and provenance
Researchers used radiocarbon dating on the ivory itself and on surrounding organic materials to establish a temporal frame for the artifact. The resulting dates place the object in the late Copper Age period, around 3,000–2,800 BCE. This timing aligns with other evidence for the era’s complex social practices and indicates that hippo ivory made its way into Iberia well before the onset of the Bronze Age in the region.
Artifact characteristics and interpretation
The pendant displays careful craftsmanship consistent with deliberate shaping, finishing, and possibly incising. Its material—hippopotamus ivory—points to long-distance connections, as hippopotamuses are native to sub-Saharan Africa and are not locally sourced within the Iberian landscape of that era. The object’s construction and use context imply it played a role beyond daily utilitarian tasks, potentially serving as a personal ornament, a ritual object, or a symbol of status or cosmology within the site’s community.
How the study was conducted
Archaeologists combined multiple analytical approaches to characterize the artifact and place it in its historical setting. Key methods included:
- Visual and stylistic analysis to interpret form and wear patterns.
- Noninvasive imaging, such as micro‑computed tomography, to examine internal structure and identify tool marks without damaging the artifact.
- Radiocarbon dating of the ivory and contextual materials to establish a calendar age.
- Comparative analysis with other hippo ivory items from Africa and Europe to assess similarities and differences in craftsmanship and usage.
Implications for Copper Age Iberia
The presence of hippopotamus ivory in a Copper Age Iberian site has several important implications for how researchers view prehistoric networks in western Europe. First, the find provides tangible evidence that exotic materials—originating far from the Iberian peninsula—were valued and circulated, suggesting established exchange routes or social networks that linked across the Mediterranean and into Sub-Saharan regions. Second, the artifact’s age indicates that such exchanges were already well integrated into Copper Age communities, influencing material culture earlier than previously documented in some parts of Europe. Finally, the piece adds nuance to interpretations of ritual and symbolic life in Copper Age Iberia, highlighting the potential for imported materials to play a central role in community identity and social relations.
Context: hippo ivory in prehistoric Europe
Hippo ivory has appeared in various prehistoric contexts, primarily in Africa where hippopotamuses are native. When such material shows up far from the animal’s natural range, researchers investigate possible trade networks, resource acquisition strategies, and the social value attributed to exotic materials. The Iberian Copper Age artifact reinforces the view that European communities in this period were actively engaging with distant sources of prestige material, incorporating them into the material repertoire of the time. The discovery adds to a growing body of evidence that prehistoric Iberia was part of a broader web of exchange that extended beyond the peninsula’s immediate neighbors.
What this tells us about exchange and symbolism
The new artifact highlights how communities in the Copper Age sought materials with symbolic weight, not only for practical needs but also for social and ritual purposes. The use of hippopotamus ivory—an import with significant distance—suggests that ownership of such objects could signal access to wider networks and elevated status within local groups. By examining wear patterns, context within the site, and stylistic features, researchers aim to untangle whether the pendant was part of a personal adornment set, a ceremonial toolkit, or a symbolic object connected to shared beliefs across communities.
Broader significance and future research
As researchers continue to analyze this artifact, several avenues of inquiry emerge. Comparative work with other Copper Age sites on the Iberian Peninsula and across Europe will help establish how unique this item was within its region. Isotopic or elemental analyses, where feasible, could further illuminate the ivory’s geographic origin and the trade routes that brought it to Iberia. Additionally, broader syntheses that integrate artifactual data with settlement patterns and subsistence strategies may reveal how the possession and display of exotic materials intersected with social organization and ritual practice in Copper Age societies.
Key takeaways
- The oldest-known hippopotamus ivory artifact from a Copper Age Iberian Peninsula site dates to around 3,000–2,800 BCE.
- The item is a carved pendant, indicating deliberate craftsmanship and potential ceremonial use.
- Findings support the interpretation of long-distance exchange networks that connected Iberia with Africa and beyond during prehistory.
- Multiple analytical methods—dating, imaging, and comparative analysis—converge to place the artifact in a broader context of Copper Age social and symbolic life.