European prehistory : a survey / edited by Sarunas Milisauskas.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Milisauskas, Sarunas.

Series:

Interdisciplinary contributions to archaeology

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Antiquities, Prehistoric--Europe.

Antiquities, Prehistoric.

Europe.

Prehistoric peoples--Europe.

Prehistoric peoples.

Europe--Antiquities.

Antiquities.

Local Subjects:

Europe--Antiquities.

Physical Description:

xiii, 445 pages : illustrations, maps ; 26 cm.

Place of Publication:

New York : Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, [2002]

Summary:

The study of European archaeology dates back to the 19th century, but the number of archaeologists, projects, and publications has increased greatly during the last three decades. With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the restructuring of several countries, archaeology in Europe has more opportunity for interaction and research than previously was possible. This comprehensive volume covers the Prehistoric period in Europe, from the earliest appearance of humans to the rise of the Roman Empire and includes the Paleolithic, Mesolithic Bronze and Iron Ages. Throughout these periods, the major developments and explored using the archaeological data including: technology; trade; settlement; warfare; ritual. Using methodologies and theories that were previously unknown in Europe decades ago, new discoveries and arguments are included in the research as well as reevaluations of previous discoveries. This work also includes a present geographical summary and how it impacts the current archaeological discoveries and research being conducted. European Prehistory: A Survey includes many comprehensive maps and site photos. It will be a vital resource to prehistoric archaeologists, anthropologists and historians in and outside of Europe.

Contents:

Chapter 2 The Present Environment, A Geographic Summary / Sarunas Milisauskas 7

Topography 7

Climates 11

Biogeography 12

Some Implications For Human Occupants 14

Chapter 3 The Lower and Middle Palaeolithic / Michael A. Jochim 15

Ice Age Europe: Chronology and Environment 15

The Geological Record 15

The Deep Sea Record 17

Archaeology 18

The Early Europeans: The Biological Record 18

The First Europeans: Homo Erectus 19

Later Forms and the Emergence of Neanderthals 21

Sites and Findspots: The Archaeological Record 22

The Lower Palaeolithic 24

Spotlight on Two Sites 24

Bilzingsleben 24

Terra Amata 26

Lower Palaeolithic Stone Tools and Technology 28

Use of Other Materials in the Lower Palaeolithic 31

Lower Palaeolithic Subsistence and Behavior 32

The Middle Palaeolithic 34

Spotlight on Two Sites 34

La Borde 34

Salzgitter-Lebenstedt 36

Middle Palaeolithic Stone Tools and Technology 38

Use of Other Materials in the Middle Palaeolithic 43

Middle Palaeolithic Subsistence 44

Scavenging or Hunting? 45

Food Procurement and Processing 46

The Question of Cannibalism 48

Middle Palaeolithic Site Organization and Settlement Patterns 48

Middle Palaeolithic Movement and Exchange 51

Burials, Rituals, and Art in the Middle Palaeolithic 52

Chapter 4 The Upper Palaeolithic / Michael A. Jochim 55

The Transition to the Upper Palaeolithic 55

A Simple Version of the Transition to the Upper Palaeolithic 55

The Skeletal Evidence 56

The DNA Evidence 57

The Archaeological Evidence 59

The Aurignacian 59

Other European Archaeological Evidence 63

Summary of the Transition to the Upper Palaeolithic 66

Early Upper Palaeolithic Subsistence 67

Early Upper Palaeolithic Settlement and Exchange 68

The Developed Early Upper Palaeolithic: The Gravettian 69

Spotlight on a Gravettian Site: Pavlov I 71

Gravettian Technology 74

Gravettian Subsistence 76

Gravettian Settlement 77

Gravettian Exchange 80

Gravettian Art and Ornaments 80

Gravettian Burials 81

Europe During the Last Glacial Maximum 82

Western Europe: The Solutrean 84

Spotlight on a Solutrean Site: Solutre 86

Solutrean Subsistence 87

Solutrean Regional Interaction 87

Solutrean Art, Ornaments, and Ritual 88

Southern and Southeastern Europe: The Epigravettian 89

Responses to the Glacial Maximum 90

The Late Glacial Period 90

Western Europe: The Magdalenian 92

Spotlight on a Magdalenian Site: Verberie 92

Magdalenian Subsistence Economies 94

Magdalenian Settlement and Migration 95

Magdalenian Exchange 98

Magdalenian Portable Art 99

Magdalenian Cave Art 102

Magdalenian Ritual and Sanctuaries 105

Magdalenian Burials 106

Complexity in the Magdalenian of the Southwest 107

Southern Europe 108

Eastern Europe 109

Spotlight on a Site: Mezhirich 109

Complexity on the Russian Plain 111

Northern Europe 111

Summary of the Upper Palaeolithic 113

Chapter 5 The Mesolithic / Michael A. Jochim 115

Postglacial Environmental Changes 115

The Archaeological Record 116

The Early Mesolithic (10,300

8000/7500 BP) 118

Early Mesolithic Technology 118

Spotlight on a Site: Svaerdborg II 120

Early Mesolithic Subsistence 122

Early Mesolithic Settlement 124

Early Mesolithic Exchange 125

Early Mesolithic Burials 126

Early Mesolithic Art and Ornaments 126

Early Mesolithic Summary 126

The Late Mesolithic 127

Late Mesolithic Technology 127

Spotlight on a Site: Vaenget Nord 129

Spotlight of a Very Different Site: Lepenski Vir 130

Late Mesolithic Subsistence 133

Late Mesolithic Settlement 134

Late Mesolithic Exchange 136

Late Mesolithic Art and Ornaments 137

Late Mesolithic Burials 138

Summary of the Mesolithic 141

Chapter 6 Early Neolithic, The First Farmers in Europe, 7000-5500/5000 BC / Sarunas Milisauskas 143

Early Neolithic Society 144

The Origins and Spread of Farming in Europe 146

The Problem of a Prepottery Neolithic in Europe 150

The Transition to Farming in Central Europe 153

The Earliest Farmers in the Alpine Zone 157

The Transition to Farming Along the Atlantic Coast of Europe 157

Relationship of Farmers to Hunters and Gatherers 158

Subsistence Strategies 159

Central Europe: The Linear Pottery Culture 162

Exchange 165

Settlement Organization

Household, Individual Settlement and Regional Settlement System 168

Economic Specialization By Early Neolithic Settlements and Individuals 176

Population 177

Warfare 177

Social Status: Mortuary Evidence 181

Mortality, Longevity, Sex Ratios, and Population Composition 184

Sociopolitical Organization 185

Rituals and Beliefs 186

Chapter 7 Middle Neolithic, Continuity, Diversity, Innovations, and Greater Complexity, 5500/5000-3500/3000 BC / Sarunas Milisauskas, Janusz Kruk 193

Chronology and Cultural Sequence 194

Transition to Farming in the British Isles 196

The Transition to Farming in the Circum-Baltic Region 198

Innovations 200

Milk and Cheese Production 200

Riding and the Domestication of Horses 201

Wool Production 202

The Appearance of Wheeled Vehicles 202

Ards and Plows 206

Beginnings of Metallurgy 207

Subsistence Systems 207

Alpine Region 213

Salt Production 213

Tracks and Roads 214

Flint Mining 214

Exchange 215

Settlement 216

Cups, Beakers and Drinking 224

Megalithic Monuments 225

Warfare 232

The Problem of Writing and Record Keeping 236

The Origin of Complex Societies 238

Gender Differentiation 241

Mortality, Longevity, Sex Ratios, and Population Composition 241

The Iceman or Otzi 244

Chapter 8 Late Neolithic, Crises, Collapse, New Ideologies, and Economies, 3500/3000-2200/2000 BC / Sarunas Milisauskas, Janusz Kruk 247

Chronology and Cultural Sequence 248

Subsistence Strategies 255

Settlement Organization 258

Warfare 259

Ritual and Social Organization 260

Ranked Societies 265

The Origin and Dispersal of the Indo-European Speaking Populations 266

Chapter 9 The Bronze Age / Anthony F. Harding 271

Life and Death 276

Settlement Organization 277

Mortuary Data 283

Economic Life 293

Trade and Industry 297

Metals and Metallurgy 300

Raw Materials and Extraction 300

Production and Movement of Metal Goods 303

Craft Production 307

Wood, Bone and Antler 307

Salt 308

Textiles 308

Glass and Faience 310

Transport 311

Land Transport 311

Water Transport 312

Warfare 315

Religion and Ritual 319

Individual and Society 324

The Wider Scene: Territory and Landscape 327

Complex Societies in the Aegean 330

Chapter 10 The Iron Age / Peter S. Wells 335

The Idea of the Iron Age 335

Economy 338

Trade 341

Warfare 346

Rise of Economic and Political Centers 350

La Tene and Other New Styles 354

Migration and Change 357

Contacts With Literate Societies 361

Linguistic and Ethnic Groups 362

Origins of Urbanism 365

Ritual 372

The Roman Conquest 379.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 389-437) and index.

ISBN:

0306467933

0306472570

OCLC:

49564894