10.1007/s11192-013-1162-x ; We study the evolution of scientific collaboration at Atapuerca¿s archaeological complex along its emergence as a large-scale research infrastructure (LSRI). Using bibliometric and fieldwork data, we build and analyze co-authorship networks corresponding to the period 1992¿2011. The analysis of such structures reveals a stable core of scholars with a long experience in Atapuerca¿s fieldwork, which would control coauthorship-related information flows, and a tree-like periphery mostly populated by `external¿ researchers. Interestingly, this scenario corresponds to the idea of a Equipo de Investigación de Atapuerca, originally envisioned by Atapuerca¿s first director 30 years ago. These results have important systemic implications, both in terms of resilience of co-authorship structures and of `oriented¿ or `guided¿ self-organized network growth. Taking into account the scientific relevance of LSRIs, we expect a growing number of quantitative studies addressing collaboration among scholars in this sort of facilities in general and, particularly, emergent phenomena like the Atapuerca case.