Role and Meaning of Personal Ornaments in Neolithic Mediterranean Agro-Pastoral Communities: Traditions, Techniques and Function

The project investigates Neolithic personal ornaments in the Mediterranean as indicators of social identity, cultural transmission, and technological practices during the Neolithisation process. Through the creation of the ORNAMED dataset, integrating typological, technological, and spatial data from over 160 contexts, the study analyses manufacturing techniques, raw material selection, and distribution patterns using morphometric, traceological, and multivariate approaches. The aim is to reconstruct production systems, exchange networks, and symbolic behaviours associated with ornaments, highlighting both regional variability and shared Mediterranean traditions. Preliminary results reveal significant standardisation in manufacturing methods, exchange systems, and distinct ornamental repertoires reflecting local identities within broader cultural networks.