Early prehistoric island archaeology in Cyprus : configuration of formative culture growth from the Pleistocene/Holocene boundary to the mid-3rd millennium B.C
This dissertation studies the early prehistoric cultures of Cyprus from the beginnings to the Chalcolithic-Early Bronze Age transition in the 3rd millennium BC. Its aim is not to provide a culture-historical review, but to define, examine and explain processes of formative culture change in light of island biogeography and new evidence which has accumulated during the last decade. Current excavations on the South Coast not only indicate what may be the earliest instance of Mediterranean island colonization, but they also hint at the existence of a proto-neolithic occupation prior to the aceramic Khirokitia Culture. This evidence is interpreted in terms of the causality of Quaternary biogeographic conditions and island colonizations by man and animals. Specifically, the discussion addresses the problem of inhibitive factors, the triggers required to overcome them, and the adaptive responses of the founder populations. Following colonization, excavated and surveyed sites attest to a widely distributed and culturally homogeneous aceramic occupation which lasted for over one millennium before disappearing in a lacuna in the archaeological record. A locational analysis attempts to define the rate of intra-island
Held, Steven
Mediterranean; Khirokitia Culture
Early prehistoric island archaeology in Cyprus : configuration of formative culture growth from the Pleistocene/Holocene boundary to the mid-3rd millennium B.C. This dissertation studies the early prehistoric cultures of Cyprus from the beginnings to the Chalcolithic-Early Bronze Age transition in the 3rd millennium BC. Its aim is not to provide a culture-historical review, but to define, examine and explain processes of formative culture change in light of island biogeography and new evidence which has accumulated during the last decade. Current excavations on the South Coast not only indicate what may be the earliest instance of Mediterranean island colonization, but they also hint at the existence of a proto-neolithic occupation prior to the aceramic Khirokitia Culture. This evidence is interpreted in terms of the causality of Quaternary biogeographic conditions and island colonizations by man and animals. Specifically, the discussion addresses the problem of inhibitive factors, the triggers required to overcome them, and the adaptive responses of the founder populations. Following colonization, excavated and surveyed sites attest to a widely distributed and culturally homogeneous aceramic occupation which lasted for over one millennium before disappearing in a lacuna in the archaeological record. A locational analysis attempts to define the rate of intra-island
early prehistoric_island archaeology cyprus configuration formative culture growth pleistocene holocene boundary study early prehistoric culture cyprus beginning chalcolithic_early bronze_age transition aim_provide culture historical review define examine explain process formative culture change light island biogeography new_evidence accumulate current excavation south coast indicate may earliest instance mediterranean island colonization also hint existence proto neolithic_occupation prior culture evidence interpret term causality quaternary condition island colonization man animal specifically discussion address_problem factor trigger require overcome adaptive response founder population following colonization excavate survey site attest widely distribute culturally homogeneous occupation last disappear lacuna archaeological_record locational analysis attempt_define rate intra island