Specialized potteries in the southeast of the peninsula reveal the complex organisation of the El Argar society 4,000 years ago

Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona

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https://bit.ly/UAB_AlfareriasArgar_MapaTopographic map of the southeast of the Murcia region showing different locations of the Betic mountain range: (1) Sierra de Carrascoy; (2) Sierra del Algarrobo; (3): Sierra de las Moreras; (4): Sierra de Almenara; (5): Loma de Bas; (6): Sierra de Enmedio; (7): Sierra de las Estancias; (8): Sierra de la Tercia; (9): Sierra Espuña. The legend shows the settlements and clay deposits studied. Credit: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)

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Credit: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)

The production of El Argar pottery was organized in specialised workshops located next to specific clay deposits, far from the main centres of power. This production model reinforces the existence of a complex, hierarchical, supra-local organisation in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula during the Bronze Age.

Most of the pottery recovered from political and administrative centres in El Argar (2200-1550 BCE), such as Tira del Lienzo and Ifre, located in the province of Murcia, was not produced locally, but rather at sites located in the coastal mountains of the southeastern peninsula. This is the conclusion reached by a research team from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) in a study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, which analyses the composition and circulation of the raw materials used to produce the characteristic pottery of El Argar.

The study contradicts the prevailing idea that each community produced its own pottery using materials available in its immediate surroundings, and reinforces the idea of a complex and hierarchical social and economic system.

“Most pieces, especially the more standardised forms such as cups and jars, were made from red clay formed by the climatic alteration of metamorphic rocks or schists during the warm Pliocene period, and found in the coastal mountains of Murcia, Almeria, and Granada", explains David Gomez, researcher in the Department of Geology and co-author of the study. “Pottery made from this very distinctive type of clay became exclusive from 1900 BCE onwards, when El Argar reached its peak in terms of territorial expansion and economic development”, says Carla Garrido, predoctoral researcher in the Department of Prehistory and first author of the paper.

“Our petrographic studies confirm that the red clays that best match El Argar pottery are found in Pleistocene deposits located on the northwestern slopes of the Almenara mountain range, in the Murcia province, in the area of the current municipality of Lorca”, notes Marta Roigé, geologist at the UAB who also participated in the research. "A whole series of small settlements have been documented in this area, located on the plain above this type of clay, which seem to have specialised in the production of large jars and typical El Argar cups. These settlements are very different from the large hilltop settlements, and were located decades ago precisely because of the amount of pottery found on the surface", explains Adrià Moreno, researcher at the State Archaeological Service of Saxony-Anhalt in Germany, who has studied the circulation of these pottery pieces to the borders of El Argar.

To carry out the study, researchers surveyed an area of 5,200 square kilometres and analysed the sedimentary and petrographic composition of more than 140 original raw material deposits, comparing them with objects recovered from four main settlements in El Argar: Tira de Lienzo, Ifre, Zapata, and Cabezo Negro, located in the southern part of the province of Murcia. In addition, they developed spatial models of geographic information to assess the relationships between pottery, raw materials, and regions.

The results, researchers point out, reinforce the interpretation of the El Argar system as a complex and regionally interconnected economy with empirical data that shows a structured organisation of ceramic production.

“The technological and compositional homogeneity observed among different settlements suggests planning and control of production processes beyond the strictly domestic sphere. This implies supra-local coordination in the management of resources, technical knowledge, and product distribution, in line with the dynamics of centralisation and specialisation characteristic of the El Argar state model almost 4,000 years ago", argues Roberto Risch, researcher at the UAB Department of Prehistory and coordinator of the study.

Pottery, key evidence of regional and economic interactions

One of the archaeological characteristics differentiating El Argar, which came to occupy the entire southeast of the Iberian Peninsula (from Alacant to Granada and Jaén), is its pottery. This pottery produced only eight types of vessels in the span of more than 600 years, although some forms range from small cups, such as the typical cup unique to the Iberian Peninsula, to large vessels with a capacity of more than 250 litres.

Although there are not many interdisciplinary studies on El Argar pottery, the prevailing idea until now was that it was produced domestically or, at most, locally—each community and settlement produced its own pottery. The uniformity of production and the virtual absence of decoration over such a long period of time was considered to be an expression of the uniformity of social practices involved in the use of this pottery in El Argar settlements.

Based on material evidence, the study published by UAB researchers contributes to consolidating the role of pottery as a key marker of the regional and economic interactions of the El Argar system. "Although the social and political hierarchy of El Argar is an accepted fact, our results add value by showing how this hierarchy is also manifested in pottery techniques and the organisation of material production. Pottery ceases to be merely a consumer object and becomes a means of tracing mechanisms of control, circulation, and ideological cohesion within the territory," concludes Carla Garrido.

Ceramic cup, emblematic of the boom phase of El Argar (©J.A. Soldevilla; ASOME-UAB).

Credit

ASOME-UAB

Microscopic image of El Argar pottery, showing minerals and fragments of schist, which are key to tracing the origin of the clays used in its production and precisely locating the source of these materials in the northwestern sector of the Sierra de Almenara. Credit: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB).

 

Credit

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)

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Journal

Journal of Archaeological Science

DOI

10.1016/j.jas.2025.106394 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

The methodological centrality of geo-archaeological surveys in ceramic provenance analysis: A re-assessment of El Argar pottery production and circulation

 

One enzyme could be behind alcohol addiction and liver disease

New research reveals that blocking an enzyme involved in fructose metabolism can reduce alcohol cravings and protect against liver damage

University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

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AURORA, Colo. (November 10, 2025) – Scientists have uncovered a surprising connection between sugar metabolism and alcohol addiction, identifying a potential new therapeutic target for treating alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD).

In a new study, out today in Nature Metabolism, University of Colorado Anschutz researchers found that alcohol triggers a metabolic pathway in the body that leads to the internal production of fructose, the same type of sugar commonly found in sweetened foods and beverages. This process, driven by the enzyme ketohexokinase (KHK), appears to play a key role in both reinforcing alcohol consumption habits and accelerating liver damage.

Researchers discovered that mice lacking KHK showed markedly lower alcohol inclination and consumption. These mice drank less alcohol across multiple tests, including voluntary drinking and reward-based models, and exhibited reduced activity in brain regions associated with addiction.

Importantly, alcohol-induced liver injury appeared to be non-existent when KHK was blocked, either genetically or through medication. Livers displayed reduced fat accumulation, inflammation and scarring, suggesting that interfering with fructose metabolism could halt or even prevent alcohol-related liver disease progression.

“Our findings show that alcohol doesn’t just damage the liver directly, it hijacks the body’s sugar metabolism in a way that enhances drinking behavior and worsens liver injury,” said Miguel A. Lanaspa, DVM, PhD, associate research professor at CU Anschutz and senior author. “By targeting fructose metabolism, we may be able to break this cycle and develop new treatments for both alcohol addiction and liver disease.”

Because both alcohol-associated liver disease and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) share fructose-driven mechanisms, the results suggest that therapies designed to inhibit fructose metabolism could benefit a broad range of patients with liver disease linked to diet or alcohol use.

“This discovery highlights an unexpected intersection between sugar and alcohol metabolism,” said Richard Johnson, MD, professor at CU Anschutz and study co-author. “It opens exciting possibilities for developing treatments that target a common pathway underlying both metabolic and alcohol-related liver diseases.”

The research provides a promising new direction for addressing liver disease and alcohol addiction, conditions for which effective treatments remain limited.

 

About the University of Colorado Anschutz

The University of Colorado Anschutz is a world-class medical destination at the forefront of transformative science, medicine, education and patient care. The campus encompasses the University of Colorado health professional schools, more than 60 centers and institutes and two nationally ranked independent hospitals - UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital and Children's Hospital Colorado – which see more than two million adult and pediatric patient visits yearly. Innovative, interconnected and highly collaborative, CU Anschutz delivers life-changing treatments, patient care and professional training and conducts world-renowned research fueled by $910 million in annual research funding, including $757 million in sponsored awards and $153 million in philanthropic gifts.

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Journal

Nature Metabolism

DOI

10.1038/s42255-025-01402-x 

Article Publication Date

10-Nov-2025

 

Billions live in environments that violate human rights

University of Colorado at Boulder

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A diagram showing the top examples of international drivers of threats to human rights.

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Credit: Naia Ormaza-Zulueta and Zia Mehrabi/CU Boulder

More than 99% of the world’s 7.7 billion people have one or more of their environmental rights threatened, according to new research.

In the most comprehensive analysis of inequality in environmental conditions to date, CU Boulder researchers revealed that nearly half of the global population lives in regions facing three or more environmental problems. Those include polluted air, unsafe water, extreme heat, food insecurity and biodiversity loss.

The analysis was published September 25 in Environmental Research Communications.

It provides strong evidence for urgent climate action, as representatives from nearly 200 countries prepare to convene for the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30), the United Nations’ annual climate meeting, in Brazil beginning November 10. 

“Over the years, communities around the world have been fighting for local environmental justice,” said first author Naia Ormaza-Zulueta, a postdoctoral researcher in the Better Planet Lab at CU Boulder. “We want to stitch their stories into a single, undeniable global tapestry so that they can’t be dismissed as isolated problems.”

In 2022, the UN formally recognized that everyone on the planet has the right to a healthy environment. The landmark resolution, while urging countries to take action to protect that right for their people, is not legally binding. 

The resolution also failed to account for environmental harm caused by activities in other countries, said Ormaza-Zulueta. Extensive research has shown that large, industrialized nations, such as the United States, emit the most greenhouse gases, but lower-income countries experience the greatest impacts. 

Pollution without borders

Ormaza-Zulueta and Zia Mehrabi, a data scientist in the Department of Environmental Studies and founder of the Better Planet Lab, wanted to put a number on how many people have had their environmental rights threatened. 

They collected large datasets on environmental problems to calculate whether an individual in a given location around the world is experiencing, or has recently experienced, conditions that violated their rights in five core areas defined by the UN: clean air, clean water, a safe climate, healthy and sustainably produced food, and thriving biodiversity and ecosystems.

The team found that almost everyone on Earth lived in places that have recently experienced at least one environmental risk that failed to meet the UN conditions. Over 45%, or 3.4 billion people, had at least three rights threatened, and1.25%, or 95 million experienced all five conditions. 

“The numbers are heartbreaking,” said Ormaza-Zulueta. 

Having access to clean air, defined as an annual average outdoor particulate matter concentration below the World Health Organization guideline, was the most common threat, followed by access to healthy and sustainably produced food. 

In Colorado, a study has revealed that ozone pollution, mainly from cars, and oil and gas operations, causes more than 800 deaths each year.    

 “A lot of people think Boulder has great air quality for being so close to the mountains,” said Mehrabi. “But the reality is that our ozone level is high for multiple months during the summer. There are days when the air quality is so bad that our children can’t play outside.” 

Hotspots of injustice

While most people are at risk of poor environmental conditions, not everyone feels the same impact. Consistent with previous research, disadvantaged populations, such as those with lower incomes, those who are displaced and those living on Indigenous lands, are far more likely to experience poor air quality, limited access to clean water and excessive heat than the rest of the population.

Those living in wealthier areas usually experience the best environmental conditions and are more likely to escape the worst impact as climate change progresses.

Internationally, several environmental impact hotspots stood out in the study: South Asia, for example, contains 41% of all people living with all five threats to environmental rights, despite making up only one-fifth of the world’s population. 

Much of the poor environmental conditions around the globe result from the activities of wealthy nations, the study found. For instance, pollution from the United States is responsible for 12,000 deaths from poor air quality in India each year and 38,000 deaths in China. Meanwhile, emissions from the 27 countries in the European Union have made extreme weather events 1.8 times more likely in Southeast Africa and the Amazon rainforest. 

“No matter where we live, our rights are inherently connected to those of people in other parts of the world,” Ormaza-Zulueta said. She added that the large demand for products in the United States and Europe has caused biodiversity loss and deforestation in the Amazon rainforest. The resulting global warming and increased frequency of extreme weather events are felt around the world. 

“An unstable environment destabilizes our society,” Mehrabi said. “There is already a lot of fear in the United States and elsewhere about conflict, immigration, and other signs of instability. Environmental issues are only going to make them worse.” 

Even though the statistics are bleak, Mehrabi said they don’t tell the whole story. In addition to the five core categories, many people are at risk of other poor conditions that were not measured, such as exposure to toxins released from mining and plastic waste. 

 “There are many solutions to these environmental problems we’re facing now, from responsible clean energy to a more sustainable and just supply chain. We need strong policies that encourage businesses to adopt these solutions,” Mehrabi said.

Mehrabi pointed to due diligence laws in countries such as the Netherlands, France, and Germany, which require domestic companies to uphold human rights across their global operations. He said other nations need to follow suit.

The team hopes this study can empower communities and lawyers working on environmental rights issues.

“By showing how these injustices are happening across the world, deniers can no longer dismiss the polluted river here or dirty air there as anecdotes. This can be a critical tool for pushing for policy changes,” Ormaza-Zulueta said.

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Journal

Environmental Research Communications

DOI

10.1088/2515-7620/ae0407 

 

Long-term poverty and rising unsecured debt in early adulthood each linked to higher risk of premature death

Findings from two Columbia Mailman School studies underscore how sustained financial strain undermines long-term health

Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health

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November 10, 2025— Adults who experience poverty-level family income—whether sustained or intermittent—over two decades spanning young to mid-adulthood face a significantly higher risk of dying prematurely than those who are never in poverty, according to new research led by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. A companion study by the same research team finds that rising unsecured debt—such as credit card debt not tied to an asset—may be one mechanism linking early-life financial hardship to higher mortality risk. Findings from both studies are published in the same issue of The Lancet Public Health.

Both studies used data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79); the poverty study tracked income data from 1985 to 2004, when participants from ages 23 to 42 years old and followed mortality outcomes through 2019, when participants were aged 53–62—well below average life expectancy for those birth years. Adults who spent more years in poverty had more than twice the rate of premature mortality compared with those never in poverty.

“Greater cumulative exposure to poverty across emerging and established adulthood is associated with a greater risk for premature mortality.” said Adina Zeki Al Hazzouri, PhD, associate professor of Epidemiology at Columbia Mailman School and senior author. “By only considering income at a single time point, previous studies may have missed the nuanced and dynamic nature of poverty and the health consequences of even intermittent financial hardship.” Their findings highlight the importance of interventions aimed at reducing poverty during key life periods, especially for vulnerable groups, though future research is needed to better understand the impact of support during these stages on long-term health.

 In the second study published in The Lancet Public Health, Zeki Al Hazzouri and colleagues analyzed data from 6,954 NLSY79 participants to assess how unsecured debt trajectories across 20 years of early adulthood relate to premature mortality in midlife (ages 41–62). They found that individuals whose unsecured debt increased over time had a 89 percent higher risk of death compared with those whose debt remained consistently low.

“This category of debt carries higher interest rates and does not contribute to wealth accumulation. It may be more stressful and burdensome than other types of debt and signal additional resource constraints. So, it is particularly important to study as a social determinant of health,” said Zeki Al Hazzouri.

 Together these two studies show that experiences with poverty and strained financial resources are important determinants of health outcomes, including premature mortality. Importantly, the researchers’ results draw attention to financial well-being as a dynamic factor that may have varying effects on long-term health across different periods.

An accompanying commentary in Lancet Public Health on the studies by Harvard Medical School and CUNY Professors David Himmelstein and Steffie Woolhandler underscores a striking dose–response relationship between years spent in poverty or encumbered by unsecured debt and premature mortality. They suggest the results of both studies may help to explain why poverty in the US appears more damaging to health or why individuals in low wealth quintiles are far less likely to transition to a higher income quartile than in similarly wealthy nations as insufficient social and medical supports in the U.S. may amplify effects. They call for policies that “prevent and mitigate the consequences of financial burden or otherwise deepen poverty” as a core public health strategy.

Co-authors are Calvin L Colvin, Xuexin Yu, Zihan Chen, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health; Samuel L Swift, University of New Mexico College of Population Health; Sebastian Calonico, University of California, Davis; and Katrina L Kezios, Columbia Mailman School and Boston University School of Public Health.

The research was supported by the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health, grants R01AG072681, R01AG072681-03S1, and K99AG084769 and R00AG084769. 

Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health

Founded in 1922, the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health pursues an agenda of research, education, and service to address the critical and complex public health issues affecting New Yorkers, the nation and the world. The Columbia Mailman School is the third largest recipient of NIH grants among schools of public health. Its nearly 300 multi-disciplinary faculty members work in more than 100 countries around the world, addressing such issues as preventing infectious and chronic diseases, environmental health, maternal and child health, health policy, climate change and health, and public health preparedness. It is a leader in public health education with more than 1,300 graduate students from 55 nations pursuing a variety of master’s and doctoral degree programs. The Columbia Mailman School is also home to numerous world-renowned research centers, including ICAP and the Center for Infection and Immunity. For more information, please visit www.mailman.columbia.edu.