The Seascape in Aegean Prehistory
The Seascape in Aegean Prehistory

Author: Giorgos Vavouranakis

Publisher: Aarhus University Press

Published: 2011

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9788779345713

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This book is about the relationship between the people and the sea in the prehistoric Aegean. It explores how people understood the sea as an integral part of their way of life and examines the role the sea played in the prehistoric societies of the archipelago. It may at first seem obvious -- even self-evident -- that there had been a close relationship between people and the sea, since the Aegean Archipelago is the dominant feature of its wider area. It spreads over at total area of about 214,000 sq km. This large area of water includes over 1000 islands, many of which are populated today. The Aegean Sea and its islands epitomise Greece in the minds of many people today. Nonetheless, we should remember that the land that borders the Aegean features the important mountain range of Pindos, the plains of Thessaly and Macedonia and, next to Greece, Turkey, with the solid landmass of Asia Minor. These places have always accommodated extensive and flourishing communities that were not related to the sea at all. Furthermore, many people on Mount Ida in Crete had never seen the sea in the recent past, despite being on an island, while until recently many Greeks living close to the coast had not known how to swim. A maritime way of life may be an obvious option, but it is neither the only nor an inevitable one in the Aegean. There is always room for choice in the relation between people and the sea and this relation may acquire various forms and different degrees of intimacy.

Aegean Prehistory
Aegean Prehistory

Author: Tracey Cullen

Publisher:

Published: 2001

Total Pages: 536

ISBN-13:

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Aegean prehistory has developed over the 20th century into a distinctive and vibrant area of archaeological research. The past few decades, in particular, have seen a dramatic reorientation and expansion of goals and methods as well as a flood of new fieldwork in the Agean. Keeping abreast of these new developments has become a daunting task. Aegean Prehistory: A Review contains detailed syntheses of research, originally published in the American Journal of Archaeology and newly updated here. The volume conveys the diversity and richness of current approaches to the discipline of Aegean prehistory whilst also marshalling an enormous amount of information pertaining to field projects, museum studies, analyses of materials and texts, and supporting theories of interpretation. An introduction by Tracey Cullen places the review articles in historical perspective, tracing the evolution of Aegean prehistory from the 19th century to the present. The author also considers the current status of the discipline--its relationships with classical archaeology and anthropology, and the manner in which it is shaped by various sociopolitical forces. Aegean Prehistory: A Review is a powerful research tool for the exploration of Aegean themes. With its expansive and detailed coverage, the book constitutes essential reading for professionals and students of Aegean prehistory. It will also be of great interest to all who wish to learn more about intellectual trends and current discoveries in this part of the Mediterranean. Perhaps most important, Aegean Prehistory: A Review provides a solid foundation upon which Aegean archaeology can build as it continues to thrive in the coming years.

Social Change in Aegean Prehistory
Social Change in Aegean Prehistory

Author: Corien Wiersma

Publisher: Oxbow Books

Published: 2016-11-30

Total Pages: 205

ISBN-13: 178570222X

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This volume brings together papers that discuss social change. The main focus is on the Early Helladic III to Late Helladic I period in southern Greece, but also touches upon the surrounding islands. This specific timeframe enables us to consider how mainland societies recovered from a ‘crisis’ and how they eventually developed into the differentiated, culturally receptive and competitive social formations of the early Mycenaean period. Material changes are highlighted in the various papers, ranging from pottery and burials to domestic architecture and settlement structures, followed by discussions of how these changes relate to social change. A variety of factors is thereby considered including demographic changes, reciprocal relations and sumptuary behavior, household organization and kin structure, age and gender divisions, internal tensions, connectivity and mobility. As such, this volume is of interest to both Aegean prehistorians as to scholars interested in social and material change. The volume consists of eight papers, preceded by an introduction and concluded by a response. The introduction gives an overview of the development of the debate on the explanation of social change in Aegean prehistory. The response places the volume in a broader context of the EH III-LH I period and the broader discussion on social change.

Shells in Aegean Prehistory
Shells in Aegean Prehistory

Author: L. Karalē

Publisher: British Archaeological Reports Oxford Limited

Published: 1999

Total Pages: 156

ISBN-13:

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Molluscs are an important part of environmental archaeology, especially in Greece where little analytical work was done until fairly recently. Molluscs are critical environmental indicators on climate, ecology, morphology of the marine environment and are discussed in ancient sources such as Aristotle and Pliny the Elder.

An Archaeology of Prehistoric Bodies and Embodied Identities in the Eastern Mediterranean
An Archaeology of Prehistoric Bodies and Embodied Identities in the Eastern Mediterranean

Author: Maria Mina

Publisher: Oxbow Books

Published: 2016-10-11

Total Pages: 294

ISBN-13: 1785702912

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In the long tradition of the archaeology of the eastern Mediterranean bodies have held a prominent role in the form of figurines, frescos, or skeletal remains, and have even been responsible for sparking captivating portrayals of the Mother-Goddess cult, the elegant women of Minoan Crete or the deeds of heroic men. Growing literature on the archaeology and anthropology of the body has raised awareness about the dynamic and multifaceted role of the body in experiencing the world and in the construction, performance and negotiation of social identity. In these 28 thematically arranged papers, specialists in the archaeology of the eastern Mediterranean confront the perceived invisibility of past bodies and ask new research questions. Contributors discuss new and old evidence; they examine how bodies intersect with the material world, and explore the role of body-situated experiences in creating distinct social and other identities. Papers range chronologically from the Palaeolithic to the Early Iron Age and cover the geographical regions of the Aegean, Cyprus and the Near East. They highlight the new possibilities that emerge for the interpretation of the prehistoric eastern Mediterranean through a combined use of body-focused methodological and theoretical perspectives that are nevertheless grounded in the archaeological record.

On the Ocean
On the Ocean

Author: Barry W. Cunliffe

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2017

Total Pages: 642

ISBN-13: 0198757891

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The story of the contest between humans and the sea, played out in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic from early prehistory until AD 1500.