Interaction and development : the Late Neolithic and Copper Age archaeology of western Mediterranean islands
Throughout the Western Mediterranean, from Catalonia to Calabria, the widespread stylistic homogeneity of the Late Neolithic (c. 4,000 - 3,500 B.C.) gives way in the Copper Age (c. 3,500 - 2,200 B.C.) to a host of regionally varied stylistic groups. Especially in the islands of Malta, Sicily and Sardinia upon which this dissertation focuses, this stylistic differentiation has been taken to indicate increasing isolation. The evidence for exchange, however, shows that the islands continued to interact with each other and the mainland. The highly distinctive developments in the islands cannot, therefore, be explained in terms of isolation. This dissertation offers a resolution to the paradoxes which arise from the inadequacies of current understandings of the role of interaction in the socio-economic development of the Western Mediterranean from the Late Neolithic to the end of the Copper Age. In Section II it argues that stylistic comparisons give a misleading impression of the extent of significance of interaction: focusing on processes of socio-economic change offers a more reliable avenue of interpretation. Despite stylistic differences in the artefacts used in each region, the processes of socio-economic
Hayden, C. D. A.
Interaction and development : the Late Neolithic and Copper Age archaeology of western Mediterranean islands. Throughout the Western Mediterranean, from Catalonia to Calabria, the widespread stylistic homogeneity of the Late Neolithic (c. 4,000 - 3,500 B.C.) gives way in the Copper Age (c. 3,500 - 2,200 B.C.) to a host of regionally varied stylistic groups. Especially in the islands of Malta, Sicily and Sardinia upon which this dissertation focuses, this stylistic differentiation has been taken to indicate increasing isolation. The evidence for exchange, however, shows that the islands continued to interact with each other and the mainland. The highly distinctive developments in the islands cannot, therefore, be explained in terms of isolation. This dissertation offers a resolution to the paradoxes which arise from the inadequacies of current understandings of the role of interaction in the socio-economic development of the Western Mediterranean from the Late Neolithic to the end of the Copper Age. In Section II it argues that stylistic comparisons give a misleading impression of the extent of significance of interaction: focusing on processes of socio-economic change offers a more reliable avenue of interpretation. Despite stylistic differences in the artefacts used in each region, the processes of socio-economic
interaction development late_neolithic copper_age archaeology western_mediterranean island throughout western_mediterranean catalonia widespread stylistic homogeneity late_neolithic give_way copper_age host regionally varied stylistic group especially islands malta sicily sardinia upon focus stylistic differentiation take_indicate increase isolation evidence exchange however show island continue interact mainland highly distinctive development island therefore explain_term isolation offer resolution paradox arise inadequacy current understandings role interaction socio_economic development western_mediterranean late_neolithic end copper_age section argue stylistic comparison give mislead impression extent significance interaction focusing process socio_economic change offer reliable avenue interpretation despite stylistic difference artefact use region process socio_economic