Abstract
Abstract The sea tends to shape people's lives in a myriad of practical and symbolic ways. This article argues that it is therefore unsurprising that the sea also impacted on copper workers in the southern Aegean during the Early Bronze Age. Here, the sea was an integral element of the copper production, which is characterized by movement of metal across the sea from one manufacturing stage to the next—often over considerable distances requiring lengthy absences of the workers from their home communities, making metalworkers true maritime specialists alongside the more “typical” traders, fishermen, and seafarers. The distances traveled magnified the symbolic value of the raw materials as the object's geographic distance became converted into a symbolic value-added “exotic” distance. This value was further enhanced thanks to the mastery of skills required to traverse the sea, an element very different from land and intimately associated with forgetting, disposal, and death.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
More From: Journal of Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology and Heritage Studies
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.