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Understanding Ancient Fortifications

Between Regionality and Connectivity

Manuel Fernández-Götz editor Ariane Ballmer editor Dirk P Mielke editor

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Oxbow Books

Published:3rd Jan '18

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

Understanding Ancient Fortifications cover

In many regions of Europe and beyond fortifications belong to the most impressive of archaeological remains. Their study has a long tradition and today a multitude of aspects about architecture, function or symbolism has been explored. However, fortifications are generally examined in a temporally, regionally or culturally limited context. Going a step further, this volume aims to bring into focus concepts of fortifications, which can be socially, symbolically or functionally, but also chronologically and supra-regionally aligned. An important question is to determine which fortification elements are culture-specific, and which can be regarded as convergence or even universal phenomena. Adopting a comparative view, the central aim of the volume is to highlight the diversity and the structural similarities of ancient fortifications. The chronological framework goes from the Neolithic to the Late Iron Age, and the geographical scope from the Ural steppes to the Iberian Peninsula.

The volume moves beyond the physical/archaeological remains to a more conceptual consideration of fortifications, socially, symbolically and functionally and the consideration of which aspects are specific to a given ‘culture’ and which are more universal (albeit with some degree of variation) in a time-frame from the Neolithic to the Late Iron Age between the Near East and the Iberian peninsula. Well illustrated. * Ancient West & East *
The wide scope is a great asset to this volume. The phenomenon of fortification is often studied on scales limited by chronological periods or certain regions. The total renunciation of these “borders” limiting most studies opens up a welcome opportunity to compare and investigate fortifications in a new light. [...] These are developments that are most welcome and have long been necessary. * Germania *

ISBN: 9781785707483

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown

192 pages