Towards an archaeology of the social meanings of the environment: plants and animals at the Son Ferrer prehistoric ceremonial and funerary staggered turriform (Mallorca, Balearic Islands)

This paper, focusing on the Son Ferrer prehistoric ceremonial and funerary site on the island of Mallorca, aims to investigate the social role of plants and animals in a ritual space linked to mortuary practice. The approach adopted does not distinguish between biofacts and artefacts, but considers that both categories interact in the definition, performance and experience of the social actions that generated the bioarchaeological dataset. We envisage plants and animals as socialised active entities and approach the site as a scene of social performances coherent with the other social spheres and practices of a given community.