Megasites in Prehistoric Europe - 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 ethodological 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"--

List of contents

Preface; 1. Introduction; 2. Trypillia megasites, Ukraine; 3. Neolithic and Copper Age sites in the Balkans and Central Europe; 4. Neolithic and Copper Age sites in France and Iberia; 5. Bronze Age megasites; 6. Iron Age megasites ¿ from Bil'sk to Bagendon; 7. Discussion and conclusions.

Product details

• Authors: John Chapman, John (Durham University) Chapman, Bisserka Gaydarska, Bisserka (Durham University) Gaydarska, Bisserka (Durham University) Chapman Gaydarska, Gaydarska Bisserka
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 31.10.2022
• EAN: 9781009096607
• ISBN: 978-1-0-0909660-7
• No. of pages: 75
• Series: Elements in the Archaeology of Europe; Elements in the Archaeology of
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > Pre and early history; Non-fiction book > History > Pre and early history, antiquity; Europe, prehistory, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Archaeology, Archaeology by period / region, Prehistoric archaeology, Archaeological science, methodology & techniques