Iron Age Landscape Research Articles

The Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age landscape of interior western Sicily

The archaeology of complex societies in western Sicily has traditionally focused upon Greek and Phoenician colonization rather than the development of the indigenous peoples of the interior. The Salemi regional survey project in western Sicily was conceived as a means to track long-term landscape change of this interior ‘indigenous’ landscape. From 1998 to 2000, this survey has conducted an extensive survey of 150 sq. km of the Salemi region, an intensive survey of 8 sq. km around a nearby Late Bronze Age (LBA) hilltop settlement of Mokarta (Mannino & Spatafora 1995; Spatafora & Mannino 1992; Tusa 1992), and an intensive survey of 25 sq. km around the Early Iron Age (EIA) hilltop settlement of Monte Polizzo (FIGURE 1). Survey work is part ofthe Sicilian–Scandinavian archaeological project (Morris et al. in press; http://dig.anthro.niu.edu/sicily), an international team of scholars who are undertaking large-scale excavations at Monte Polizzo (FIGURE 2). Preliminary survey results reveal that these LBA and EIA peoples relied on an intricate valley hinterland around their hilltop residences. Moreover, marked differences exist between the LBA and EIA valley hinterlands.

Evaluation of honey residues from Iron Age hill-top sites in southwestern Germany: Implications for local and regional land use and vegetation dynamics

Organic contents of bronze vessels from royal burial sites dating to the Iron Age in southern Germany were investigated by pollen analysis. All pollen assemblages observed were dominated by non-arboreal pollen of non-wind pollinated species, a characteristic feature of honey. On the basis of investigations on recent honey, estimates of the original amounts of honey present were made. It is suggested that two of the vessels were filled with a freshly prepared, highly concentrated mead, while a third contained possibly a mead or a beverage sweetened by honey. The high diversity of the pollen assemblages differs from recent honeys and points to a high biodiversity in the Iron Age landscapes, but also to the use of honey mixtures that originate from a large area that included the surrounding uplands. Records for several exotic pollen also support this hypothesis. At the Glauberg site, a honey-source area of more than 50-km radius is probable. This corresponds quite well with the average distance between known Celtic centres in central Europe, which is ca. 100 km.

Territory, Time and State: The Archaeological Development of the Gubbio Basin.

Part I. 1. Introduction Caroline Malone, James McVicar, and Simon Stoddart: Part II. The Environmental Setting 2. Geology and geomorphology Mauro Coltorti 3. Pedology Mirjam Schomeaker, Eric Van Waveren, Peter Finke, Rene Sewuster, and Jan Servink 4. Vegetation and climate Franscesco Allegrucci, Edoardo Biondi, Rachel Fulton, Christopher Hunt, Simon Stoddary, and Rupert Housley Part III. The First Human Occupation and Transition to Agriculture: 5. The evidence of lithics Tim Reynolds 6. The transition to agriculture Caroline Malone, and Jenny Harding Part IV. The Dissection of a Bronze and Early Iron Age Landscape: 7. Site setting Jenny Harding, Peter Finke, and Rene Sewuster 8. Agriculture James McVicar, Catherine Backway, Gillian Clark, and Rupert Housley 9. Site relationships Caroline Malone, and Simon Stoddart 10. The regional setting Caroline Malone, and Simon Stoddart Part V. Ritual Process and the Iron Age State: 11. Ritual sites and the city Simon Stoddart, and James Whitley 12. Literacy and linguistic evidence John Wilkins 13. Text and context the regional setting Simon Stoddart, and James Whitley Part VI. Imperial Incorporation: The Advent of Rome: 14. The City Dorica Maconi, and Nicholas Whitehead 15. The territory Nicholas Whitehead Part VII. The Medieval Period Francesco Allegrucci Part VIII. The Long Term Trajectory of the Itermontane Polity: 16. Colonisation, formation and incorporation Caroline Malone, and Simon Stoddart.