Monuments in search of a landscape : the landscape context of monumentality in Late Neolithic Malta
From the mid-4th to the mid-3rd millennium BC, the Maltese archipelago was characterized by a dense concentration of monumental activity. Archaeological research has generally focussed on the monumental buildings themselves, paying less attention to the environment that surrounded these structures. The present thesis is aimed at addressing this lacuna. The history of approaches to Maltese prehistory is reviewed, and it is argued that the neglect of the landscape setting is related to the practice of archaeology in a colonial context. Chapter 3 considers the physical characteristics and dynamics of the island environment. The landscape context of megalithic buildings is analysed using a Geographical Information Systems (GIS) model of the archipelago. Chapter 4 uses a bivariate approach, while Chapter 5 uses multivariate techniques. A number of environmental variables that influence site location are identified, and a model for the choice of monument location is proposed. It is demonstrated that the location of megalithic monuments was closely determined by windows of opportunity in the natural landscape. The resulting insights into the decision-making processes of this period contribute to a better understanding
Grima, Reuben
Monuments in search of a landscape : the landscape context of monumentality in Late Neolithic Malta. From the mid-4th to the mid-3rd millennium BC, the Maltese archipelago was characterized by a dense concentration of monumental activity. Archaeological research has generally focussed on the monumental buildings themselves, paying less attention to the environment that surrounded these structures. The present thesis is aimed at addressing this lacuna. The history of approaches to Maltese prehistory is reviewed, and it is argued that the neglect of the landscape setting is related to the practice of archaeology in a colonial context. Chapter 3 considers the physical characteristics and dynamics of the island environment. The landscape context of megalithic buildings is analysed using a Geographical Information Systems (GIS) model of the archipelago. Chapter 4 uses a bivariate approach, while Chapter 5 uses multivariate techniques. A number of environmental variables that influence site location are identified, and a model for the choice of monument location is proposed. It is demonstrated that the location of megalithic monuments was closely determined by windows of opportunity in the natural landscape. The resulting insights into the decision-making processes of this period contribute to a better understanding
monuments search landscape landscape_context monumentality late_neolithic malta maltese archipelago characterize dense concentration monumental activity archaeological generally focus monumental building pay less_attention environment surround structure present aim_address lacuna history approach maltese prehistory review argue neglect landscape_setting related practice archaeology colonial_context considers physical characteristic dynamic island environment landscape_context megalithic building analyse_use geographical_information_systems gis model archipelago multivariate technique number environmental variable influence site_location identify model choice monument location propose demonstrate location megalithic_monument closely determine window opportunity natural_landscape result insight decision_making_process period contribute good