European University Institute Library

Megasites in prehistoric Europe, where strangers and kinsfolk met, Bisserka Gaydarska, John Chapman

eng

index present

non fiction

Megasites in prehistoric Europe

electronic resource

dictionaries

1344428060

Bisserka Gaydarska, John Chapman

Cambridge elements. Elements in the archaeology of Europe,, 2632-7058Cambridge Social Sciences eBooks

where strangers and kinsfolk met

This is an Element about some of the largest sites known in prehistoric Europe - sites so vast that they often remain undiscussed for lack of the theoretical or methodological tools required for their understanding. Here, the authors use a relational, comparative approach to identify not only what made megasites but also what made megasites so special and so large. They have selected a sample of megasites in each major period of prehistory - Neolithic, Copper, Bronze and Iron Ages - with a detailed examination of a single representative megasite for each period. The relational approach makes explicit comparisons between smaller, more 'normal' sites and the megasites using six criteria - scale, temporality, deposition / monumentality, formal open spaces, performance and congregational catchment. The authors argue that many of the largest European prehistoric megasites were congregational places.--, Provided by publisher

Neolithic and Copper Age sites in the Balkans and Central Europe -- Neolithic and Copper Age sites in France and Iberia -- Bronze Age megasites -- Iron Age megasites--from Bil'sk to Bagendon -- Discussion and conclusions