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Dating back to the neolithic period, La Draga is an important archaeological site. Around the 1990s, during a lake-draining project, it was discovered. Since then valuable insights into prehistory, and the lives of communities during that time period have been provided.

It is located 50 km from Pyrenees and 35 km from the current Mediterranean sea

Specifically around 5300-5200; and, 5100-4800 BC. (1) There are two different phases of occupation. And, the site dates to the early and middle neolithic periods
They represent a lakeside settlement associated with cardium or cardial pottery culture. Characterized by different wood and stone construction materials. No change in the technical tradition, or cultural material have been recorded between the two dates. (2) Though the 100 years difference, suggest abandonment probably due to environmental changes.

One of the notable aspects of La Draga is the discovery of well-preserved wooden structures and their architecture
The current waterlogged conditions at the site, contributed to the exceptional preservation of organic materials. Including piles, platforms, walkways, and homes.

Paleo-environment and trees: like many early communities, they had need to obtain wood, for fuel and building material. It caused transformations of trees and plants. (3) And, deforestation had a strong impact on sediment, including oak, plant and riparian forest that surrounded the village
It created usable space for crop fields; to graze animals; and could have colonized secondary species. Such as species of pine, lime (tilia sp.), hazel or boxwood (buxus sp.), and others.

Different new species had to adapt
Elm (ulmus sp.), ash (fraxinus sp.), willow (salix sp.); and, probably hazeltree (corylus avellana), alder (alnus glutinosa) or laurel (laurus nobilis).

Because of the water, In addition. Sedges (cyperaceae), reeds (juncus sp.), bullrushes (typha sp.), yarrow (myriophyllum), water grass (potamogeton sp.), and water lilies (nuphar) were found.

Pines (pinus sp.), firs (Abies alba), birch, wild olive and similar species. Were also found. While residents explored into the surrounding lake and mountainous regions(s)

An early neolithic bow was unique. It was believed to be one of the first in Europe (4)
The assortments of woods allowed builders to select materials based on physical and mechanical properties.

Yew was unique and used for bows. Willow was used for arrow shafts. Combs, double-stitched needles, sickles and digging sticks were made of boxwood.

Wooden containers and shovels were made of hard oak. Some objects were done in different species, such as the adze handles that are in yew, oak, pine or boxwood
And based upon builders personal preference.

Tools were found linking to textile production
Combs, and those used in ancient communities for spinning and weaving were found. Including eye needles, bone awls; spindles and shuttles. (5)

Studies carried out to date, indicate that fibres were used of plant origin
Possibly nettle (Urtica dioica); as well, animal, sheep, and/or goat hair.

Did you know? The rare waterlogged site preserved numerous plant fibers and basketry. Used for bowstrings, containers baskets, sealing gaps and more.

Due to the conditions. Remains over 400,000 seeds were found
Main crops included durum wheat (triticum durum), and two-row (palm) barley. Though there were others. Like opium poppy (papaver somniferum); acorns, hazelnuts; blackberries, blueberries, cherries; and, more.

Ceramics were cardial (cardium) tradition (6)(7)
There were ornamental similarities to neighboring areas. In SE France, the Mediterranean coast; Pyrenean, and pre-Pyrenean regions. Vessels were large, and medium thickness. And, used for the storage, cooking and consumption of different foodstuffs.

The different types of wood working and processing were also quite strong
Wood working tools found included axes, wedges, hammers. There were also flint scrapers and polishers, like sandstone and others.

For the elaboration architectural elements. Large timbers were processed. Including poles; beams; planks; and pieces for lattices, cross log work, and more.

The domestic animals had clear progression over wild ones
Pigs, cattle, sheep and goats. Clearly were the most used, manufactured and consumed ones. However, there were wild ones. Wild boar, deer; and different types of birds. In smaller quantities. Fish and molluscs (lacustrine and marine) were also found.

Did you know? Tools specifically related to the cooking and consumption of food have also been recovered. Such as several wooden bowls, ceramic vessels, wooden ladles and spatulas, and a bone spoon. Tortoise shells, and probable cooking stones were also recovered.

The ongoing excavations at La Draga have contributed significantly to our understanding of early agriculture, settlement patterns, and cultural practices. During the neolithic period and, in the western Mediterranean. The site exemplifies the importance of studying well-preserved, waterlogged archaeological sites. In order to gain insights into our civilizations ancient human societies.

Cite: 1) 5. Andreaki, V.; Barceló, J. A.; Antolín, F.; Gassmann, P.; Hajdas, I.; López-Bultó, O.; Martínez- Grau, H.; Morera, N.; Palomo, A.; Piqué, R.; Revelles, J.; Rosillo, R.; Terradas, X. (October 2022). “Absolute Chronology at the Waterlogged Site of la Draga (Lake Banyoles, Ne Iberia):Bayesian Chronological Models Integrating Tree-Ring Measurement, Radiocarbon Dates and Micro-Stratigraphical Data” (https://doi.org/10.1017%2FRDC.2022.56). Radiocarbon. 64 (5):907–948. Bibcode:2022Radcb..64..907A (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2022Radcb..64..9
07A). doi:10.1017/RDC.2022.56 (https://doi.org/10.1017%2FRDC.2022.56). hdl:10261/297140
(https://hdl.handle.net/10261%2F297140). ISSN 0033-8222 (https://search.worldcat.org/issn/00
33-8222). S2CID 252424178 (https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:252424178).

2) Antolín, Ferran; Buxó, Ramon; Jacomet, Stefanie; Navarrete, Vanessa; Saña, Maria
(2014-10-01). “An integrated perspective on farming in the early Neolithic lakeshore site of La Draga (Banyoles, Spain)” (https://doi.org/10.1179/1749631414Y.0000000027). Environmental
Archaeology. 19 (3): 241–255. Bibcode:2014EnvAr..19..241A (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/ab
s/2014EnvAr..19..241A). doi:10.1179/1749631414Y.0000000027 (https://doi.org/10.1179%2F1
749631414Y.0000000027). ISSN 1461-4103 (https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1461-4103). S2CID 128491711 (https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:128491711)

3) Caruso Ferme, Laura; Piqué i Huerta, Raquel (March 2014). “Landscape and forest
exploitation at the ancient Neolithic site of La Draga (Banyoles, Spain)” (http://journals.sagepu
b.com/doi/10.1177/0959683613517400). The Holocene. 24 (3): 266–273.
Bibcode:2014Holoc..24..266C (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014Holoc..24..266C).
doi:10.1177/0959683613517400 (https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0959683613517400).
ISSN 0959-6836 (https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0959-6836). S2CID 220914604 (https://api.s
emanticscholar.org/CorpusID:220914604).

4) Piqué, Raquel; Palomo, Antoni; Terradas, Xavier; Tarrús, Josep; Buxó, Ramon; Bosch, Àngel; Chinchilla, Júlia; Bodganovic, Igor; López, Oriol; Saña, Maria (2015-03-01). “Characterizing prehistoric archery: technical and functional analyses of the Neolithic bows from La Draga (NE Iberian Peninsula)”(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305440315000084).
Journal of Archaeological Science. 55: 166–173. Bibcode:2015JArSc..55..166P (https://ui.adsa
bs.harvard.edu/abs/2015JArSc..55..166P). doi:10.1016/j.jas.2015.01.005 (https://doi.org/10.10
16%2Fj.jas.2015.01.005). ISSN 0305-4403 (https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0305-4403).

5) Diego, Miriam de; Piqué, Raquel; Saña Seguí, María; Clemente-Conte, Ignacio; Mozota
Holgueras, Millán; Palomo, Antoni; Terradas-Batlle, Xavier (2017). Fibre Production and
Emerging Textile Technology in the Early Neolithic Settlement of La Draga – Banyoles, north- east Iberia; 5300 to 4900 cal BC (https://digital.csic.es/handle/10261/164198). Technical University of Liberec. hdl:10261/164198 (https://hdl.handle.net/10261%2F164198).
ISBN 978-80-7494-397-3.

6) Terradas, Xavier; Antolín, Ferran; Bosch, Àngel; Buxó, Ramon; Chinchilla, Julia; Clop, Xavier; Gibaja, Juan F; Oliva, Mònica; Palomo, Antoni; Piqué, Raquel; Saña, Maria; Tarrús, Josep (2012). “Áreas de aprovisionamiento, territorios de subsistencia y producciones técnicas en el Neolítico antiguo de La Draga”. Networks in the Neolithic. Exchange of Raw Materials,
Products and Ideas in the Western Mediterranean (VII-III Millennium BC): pg. 441–448.

7) Terradas X, Bach AG, Borrell F, Bosch À, Clemente-Conte I, De Diego M, Edo M, Gibaja JF, Herrero-Otal M, López-Bultó O, Mangado X (2022). “Productions and technical knowledge in the Early Neolithic in Catalonya”. Cypsela: Revista de prehistòria i protohistòria: pg. 147–174.

Bibliography:
Revelles, Jordi; Antolín, Ferran; Berihuete, Marian; Burjachs, Francesc; Buxó, Ramon; Caruso, Laura; López, Oriol; Palomo, Antoni; Piqué, Raquel; Terradas, Xavier (2014-10-01). “Landscape transformation and economic practices among the first farming societies in Lake Banyoles (Girona, Spain)” (https://doi.org/10.1179/1749631414Y.0000000033). Environmental
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Herrero-Otal, Maria; Romero-Brugués, Susagna; Piqué Huerta, Raquel (November 2021). “Plants used in basketry production during the Early Neolithic in the north-eastern Iberian Peninsula” (https://link.springer.com/10.1007/s00334-021-00826-1). Vegetation History and Archaeobotany. 30 (6): 729–742. Bibcode:2021VegHA..30..729H (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2021VegHA..30..729H). doi:10.1007/s00334-021-00826-1 (https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs0 0334-021-00826-1). ISSN 0939-6314 (https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0939-6314).
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Piqué, R.; Romero, S.; Palomo, A.; Tarrús, J.; Terradas, X.; Bogdanovic, I. (2018-02-25). “The production and use of cordage at the early Neolithic site of La Draga (Banyoles, Spain)” (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1040618215300690). Quaternary International. Early craft uses of plant and animal fiber. 468: 262–270. Bibcode:2018QuInt.468..262P (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2018QuInt.468..262P). doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2016.05.024 (https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.quaint.2016.05.024). ISSN 1040-6182 (https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1040-6182).

Terradas, Xavier; Piqué, Raquel; Palomo, Antoni; Antolín, Ferran; López, Oriol; Revelles, Jordi; Buxó, Ramon (2017), García-Puchol, Oreto; Salazar-García, Domingo C. (eds.), “Farming Practices in the Early Neolithic According to Agricultural Tools: Evidence from La Draga Site (Northeastern Iberia)” (https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-52939-4_8), Times of Neolithic Transition along the Western Mediterranean, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pg. 199–220