AND WHAT ELSE BESIDE CARDIAL POTTERY? SEARCHING FOR MEDITERRANEAN INFLUENCES IN EARLY NEOLITHIC SETTLEMENT OF VALADA DO MATO (ÉVORA, PORTUGAL)

Within archaeological science prehistoric networks were traditionally considered under a typological framework where technological and mostly stylistically resemblance reflects the existence of a “cultural group or a people ” be-hind similar cultural traits. For decades, European ar-chaeologist tried to reconstruct and design on carto-graphic material “Cultures ” which are ethnic networks that explain similarities and differences in the archaeo-logical record. After Historical Culturalism break-down, Processualists within a new archaeological paradigm search for networks using hard evidence like raw materi-als reconstructing economic and technological pathways with strategic roles in system reproduction. Today prehistoric networks are at the top of all agendas. Processualists ’ descendents have stable isotopes, ancient DNA and multiple archaeometric techniques to recon-struct small, medium and large distance networks estab-lishing what kind of people and products have travelled episodically or systematic under these trades and ex-change routes. Simultaneously, symbolic and ideological aspects of social networks have returned to post-modern archaeological debate in the form of identity issues and other social intangible factors that have shaped archaeo-logical record like choices people made in the past whither to adopt and adapt or to reject material and immaterial things that were circulating troughout these networks