Oldest hippopotamus ivory object unearthed in Iberian Peninsula reveals Copper Age trade

Archaeologists have unearthed the oldest hippopotamus ivory artifact in the Iberian Peninsula, confirming the presence of long-distance relations in the Mediterranean area more than 4,000 years ago. The piece, which was excavated in 1977 in the Copper Age settlement of Bòbila Madurell in Sant Quirze del Vallès (Barcelona), has been re-examined by researchers from the Prehistoric Studies and Research Seminar (SERP) at the University of Barcelona. Their findings, now published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, highlight the importance of exotic material in the social and economic development of Chalcolithic Iberia.

The object, which is just over 10 centimeters long and weighs 11 grams, was originally placed in the Museu d’Història de Sabadell. Its provenance was unknown for decades, but new analytical techniques have revealed its true nature. By Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) combined with taxonomic and traceological analysis, the scientists identified the material as the lower incisor of Hippopotamus amphibius. Its ivory structure was revealed by microscopic examination, and residue analysis showed that it contained a red pigment composed of iron oxyhydroxides bound with organic material, perhaps animal fat.

Radiocarbon dating of the context places the artifact in the second quarter of the third millennium BCE, at the transition from Late Neolithic to Chalcolithic. It is the earliest hippopotamus ivory object recognized in northeastern Iberia and is earlier than other examples that have been discovered in southern regions of the peninsula. Its presence attests to the active participation of local groups in long-distance trade networks reaching as far as the Near East and Africa.

The function of the artifact is uncertain. Researchers speculate that it could be a stylized figurine or idol, pointing to ritualistic or symbolic uses. However, its shape and wear patterns also allow for an alternative interpretation: a tool for textile production. The presence of spindle whorls in the same archaeological context and the object’s resemblance to weaving tools support the hypothesis that it was utilized as a beater or similar device.

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Apart from its immediate utility, the object has broader significance for the interpretation of Chalcolithic society in the region. The fact that hippopotamus ivory—a rare material compared to elephant ivory—was procured suggests the existence of specialist networks connecting the western Mediterranean to distant sources of supply. Previous work has already documented the circulation of exotic materials such as Sardinian obsidian, Baltic amber, and elephant ivory across Iberia and the adjacent islands. The discovery at Bòbila Madurell now adds hippopotamus ivory to this array, implying a complex web of overland and maritime exchanges.

Evidence from Andalusia indicates that southern Iberia was in close contact with North Africa during this period, offering one potential pathway for the arrival of hippopotamus ivory. Yet the Catalan discovery also raises the prospect of additional routes in the northwestern Mediterranean, evoking the earlier Neolithic exchange traditions of the Sepulcres de Fossa culture. Maritime interactions with the Balearic Islands and Sardinia, where ivory from elephants is documented in Bell Beaker contexts, provide further evidence of various distribution channels.

This exceptional discovery not only enhances the archaeological record of ivory use in prehistoric Iberia but also deepens our understanding of the role of exotic raw materials in the development of Copper Age societies.