Island colonisation and abandonment in Mediterranean prehistory
This thesis studies the colonisation and abandonment of Mediterranean islands in prehistory by placing them within a comparative framework. The geographical scope is pan-Mediterranean and chronologically it encompasses prehistory from the time when the earliest-known human records are found on a few islands to the time when most Mediterranean islands had been colonised (approximately from the end of the Pleistocene to the end of the Iron Age). By questioning established geographical boundaries and chronological restrictions and by incorporating recent theoretical advances in island archaeology, this thesis provides alternative explanations to colonisation paradigms prevalent in the 1980s and 1990s, expanding these to include considerations of abandonment and recolonisation. After investigating leading theoretical approachesto colonisation and abandonment, the study reviews the bulk of available publications on Mediterranean islandbased projects from the past ten years, and presents a series of revised colonisation and abandonment dates and models for the islands. At a broader level') these new data indicate the need for clearer distinctions between different types of island-human interaction (e. g. visitation,
Dawson, Helen Sarah
Island colonisation and abandonment in Mediterranean prehistory. This thesis studies the colonisation and abandonment of Mediterranean islands in prehistory by placing them within a comparative framework. The geographical scope is pan-Mediterranean and chronologically it encompasses prehistory from the time when the earliest-known human records are found on a few islands to the time when most Mediterranean islands had been colonised (approximately from the end of the Pleistocene to the end of the Iron Age). By questioning established geographical boundaries and chronological restrictions and by incorporating recent theoretical advances in island archaeology, this thesis provides alternative explanations to colonisation paradigms prevalent in the 1980s and 1990s, expanding these to include considerations of abandonment and recolonisation. After investigating leading theoretical approachesto colonisation and abandonment, the study reviews the bulk of available publications on Mediterranean islandbased projects from the past ten years, and presents a series of revised colonisation and abandonment dates and models for the islands. At a broader level') these new data indicate the need for clearer distinctions between different types of island-human interaction (e. g. visitation,
island colonisation abandonment mediterranean prehistory study colonisation abandonment mediterranean islands prehistory place_within comparative framework geographical scope pan mediterranean chronologically encompass prehistory time earliest known human record find island time mediterranean island colonise approximately end pleistocene end iron_age question establish geographical boundary chronological restriction incorporate recent_theoretical advance island archaeology provide_alternative explanation colonisation paradigm prevalent expand include consideration abandonment investigate lead theoretical colonisation abandonment study review bulk available publication mediterranean project past_present series revise colonisation abandonment date model island broad_level new data_indicate need clear_distinction different_type island human_interaction visitation