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The Prehistory of Iberia

Debating Early Social Stratification and the State

Antonio Gilman editor María Cruz Berrocal editor Leonardo García Sanjuán editor

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd

Published:10th Dec '19

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The Prehistory of Iberia cover

The origin and early development of social stratification is essentially an archaeological problem. The impressive advance of archaeological research has revealed that, first and foremost, the pre-eminence of stratified or class society in today’s world is the result of a long social struggle. This volume advances the archaeological study of social organisation in Prehistory, and more specifically the rise of social complexity in European Prehistory. Within the wider context of world Prehistory, in the last 30 years the subject of early social stratification and state formation has been a key subject on interest in Iberian Prehistory.

This book illustrates the differing forms of resistances, the interplay between change and continuity, the multiple paths to and from social complexity, and the ‘failures’ of states to form in Prehistory. It also engages with broader questions, such as: when did social stratification appear in western European Prehistory? What factors contributed to its emergence and consolidation? What are the relationships between the notions of social complexity, social inequality, social stratification and statehood? And what are the archaeological indicators for the empirical analysis of these issues? Focusing on Iberia, but with a permanent connection to the wider geographical framework, this book presents, for the first time, a chronologically comprehensive, up-to-date approach to the issue of state formation in prehistoric Europe.

"Beyond introducing US students to the Spanish-language archaeology of an important European country where major advances in thinking about prehistory have been relatively recent, the volume is an important introduction to a vibrant tradition of Iberian archaeology that differs from Americanist prehistoric archaeology in being both particularistic and generalizing. Highly recommended." - R. B. Clay, emeritus, University of Kentucky, CHOICE magazine


"A comprehensive, readable, and well-balanced reflection of the current debate on the ability of archaeology to identify social structures and their patterns of change. As a result of the collaboration of different research groups and colleagues, it represents a state-of-the-art work within the debate on social stratification and complex societies in Iberia. It is not just a compilation of case studies. It offers updated data and new hypotheses and perspectives to interpret this complex phenomenon." European Journal of Archaeology

ISBN: 9780367865771

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 810g

424 pages