The contribution of Francisco Jordá Cerdá to the knowledge of the Iberian Prehistory: a Mediterranean perspective

Abstract

Research on the Iberian Paleolithic was polarized into two perspectives in the early years of the twentieth century. The writings of H. Obermaier and H. Breuil about its origin and development are based on a regionalization which still survives, in which a recurrent relation to North Africa, or its participation in the rhythms of Western Paleolithic are still valued. This double vision in the first regional models was raised by Conde de la Vega del Sella and Ll. Pericot. The academic background of prof. F. Jordá Cerdá was clearly influenced by these early proposals and models based on excavations carried out between 1910-1930. His career spans between the end of the decade of the forties and the theoretical and methodological renewal of the 70s of XX century, becoming a crucial source of documentation for the analysis of the Spanish Archaeology. Our contribution in this volume sets out that from this academic background, he even proposed new approaches on connections among the Paleolithic regional groups and Prehistoric Art chronology.