Theme:
4. Persisting with Change: Theory and Archaeological Scrutiny
Session format:
Regular session
Title:
Methods of Analysing Subsistence Resources, Landscape Management and Exploitation Practices between the Bronze Age and Iron Age
Content:
The significant demographic growth and extensive land occupation that greatly increased in Europe during the Bronze Age can be explained by a different approach to resource exploitation and, more importantly, a different organization of agricultural and animal production methods. Agriculture is one of the most comprehensive and rational forms of resource utilization within communities' landscapes. Together with pastoralism, it has always held a prominent place in historical reconstructions and archaeological analyses, both in terms of landscapes and the ancient societies that inhabited them. This is particularly true for the period between 2200 BC and 800 BC, where agro-pastoral systems played a pivotal role in the development of communities, affecting their internal socio-political dynamics and inter-community relations on a large scale. Traces of ploughing, field partitioning, possible fertilization or manuring interventions, along with crop rotation, suggest meticulous planning of agricultural production. Furthermore, effective livestock management, involving the selection of animals, the choice of grazing areas, and precise breeding strategies, should not be underestimated.
Numerous interdisciplinary studies have addressed these topics, establishing reference criteria, explaining analytical methods, and providing general reconstructions of subsistence forms. However, there have been limited opportunities for scholars to come together to clarify various hypotheses and propose common guidelines. This session is aimed at archaeo-zoologists, archaeo-botanists, geo-archaeologists, as well as archaeologists studying the productive and subsistence processes of ancient communities. The goal is to understand how to approach the analysis of archaeological data related to agricultural and livestock resources, stay updated on archaeological contexts where traces of agricultural landscapes are discernible, and delve into the scientific aspects related to the results of micro-archaeological analyses of ancient agro-pastoral contexts. In this way, we can develop a common "toolbox" necessary to address this important and fascinating theme.
Keywords:
Agriculture, Subsistence, Breeding, Landscape Management, Interdisciplinary studies, Bronze Age
Session associated with MERC:
no
Session associated with CIfA:
no
Session associated with SAfA:
no
Session associated with CAA:
no
Session associated with DGUF:
no
Session associated with other:
Main organiser:
Agostino Sotgia (Netherlands) 1
Co-organisers:
Florencia Ines Debandi (Italy) 2
Maurizio Cattani (Italy) 2
Affiliations:
1. RUG - University of Groningen
2. Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna
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