This volume presents various facets of recent archaeological investigations into Neolithic and Bronze Age societies in the Carpathian Basin spanning from the 7th and 2nd millennium BCE. It delves into population dynamics, settlement patterns, and the spread of the Neolithic way of life through methodological approaches such as demographic analysis and environmental modelling.

Moreover, the book explores social transformations and the development of inequalities, emphasizing the role of cultur...

During a considerable part of prehistory stone tools were indispensable. Flint in particular had properties that made it very suitable for making razor-sharp implements and could often, but not always, be collected locally. Hunters, gatherers and fishers mostly used small tools but with the transition to an agricultural way of living this situation changed, as larger implements became necessary, to cut down trees and work wood for instance.

The raw material suitable for this was often not av...

This volume brings together a series of case studies on the social and economic interaction and organisation in the medieval and early modern European countryside. In particular, it focuses on rural and smaller trade and markets that have remained relatively underexposed so far. It provides comprehensive presentations of new research on rural socio-economic interactions and networks, and how these are integrated into regional, trans-regional and even global exchange systems. The volume is cha...

Deze bundel vormt de neerslag van de 12e Nederlandse metaaltijdendag, gehouden op 18 oktober 2024 in Leiden. Het congres werd dit jaar gecombineerd met een bezoek aan de zojuist geopende tentoonstelling ‘Bronstijd. Vuur van verandering’ in het Rijksmuseum van Oudheden. In de ochtend werden er lezingen gehouden rondom het thema ‘bronstijd’. In de middag was er een parallelle sessie en plenaire sessie waarin ruimte was voor een breed scala aan onderwerpen die de gehele periode van de me...

Wie vandaag de dag door Drenthe reist, kan zich nauwelijks voorstellen hoe het landschap er tienduizend jaar geleden uitzag. Uitgestrekte oerbossen, doorsneden door kronkelende beken en open plekken, vormden het decor van de Midden-Steentijd, een periode waarin de natuur en de mens onlosmakelijk met elkaar verbonden waren.

Dit boek neemt je mee naar een fascinerende tijd waarin kleine groepen jager-verzamelaars door de bossen trokken, afhankelijk van wat de seizoenen hen te bieden hadden. Ze ...

The identification of ceramic imports within prehistoric and historic assemblages has long been the primary indicator for identifying connections between different sites and regions. Yet this has fostered a presence/absence diagnosis for contact between different communities. Approaches such as post-colonial perspectives and network analysis, which focus on the nature of the connections, are now beginning to offer more meaningful ways of considering past interactions. These approaches can bri...

Ancient Egyptian animal mummies can be found in almost every Egyptological museum collection. These mummified bodies of animals—from cats and falcons to scarabs and fish—played a role in animal cults and religion, but could also represent a favourite pet or serve as food for the deceased. Especially in Graeco-Roman Egypt, large numbers of animal mummies were deposited as votive offerings related to animal cults, thus playing a significant role in local economies. Studying their remains he...

Archaeological research on early villages has repeatedly shown that despite their small size these settlements were anything but simple. Excavations at the Late Neolithic and early Aeneolithic village of Monjukli Depe in the Kopet Dag foothills of Turkmenistan contribute to a picture of this complexity. General uniformities in house plans and material culture conceal underlying variability in material and social practices. Small-scale analyses of the preparation and use of space in buildings,...

The Iranian highlands are characterized by very special resource conditions: although being dominated in large parts by aridity, the presence of ecological niches and specific weather phenomena, along with rich deposits of minerals and raw materials, provide livelihoods for pre-modern societies. These conditions have favoured the development of different but also specific practices based on intricate knowledge of individual resources. Ancient communities in this region have developed very spe...