A 02: Many Ores and Little Water. Socio-Cultural Change in Connection with the Use of Resources in the Later Prehistory of the Iberian Peninsula

Project management: Prof. Dr. Martin Bartelheim

Scientific employees: Felicitas Schmitt, Javier Escudero Carillo

Summary

The project aims at investigating and reconstructing the socio-cultural dynamics during the younger periods of prehistory of the Iberian Peninsula in relation to the use of resources. The peninsula displays extreme geographic and climatic differences, resulting in very different local preconditions. The project will analyse whether this can be directly linked to the very heterogeneous social and cultural development in different regions observable during the time from the 3rd to the 1st mill. BC. This focus of research accounts for the assignment of the project to project division A. The diachronic study of the divergencies mentioned above has considerable potential of insight for the issues central to the Collaborative Research Centre 1070 ResourceCultures, with the Iberian Peninsula being one of the best suited regions for our specific research interests. During each of the three phases of funding, two closely linked case studies about two different regions will be conducted (Chalcolithic – 3rd mill. BC, Bronze Age – 2nd mill. BC, Iron Age – 1st mill. BC). The regions are chosen because of their (superficially) similar cultural appearance, but very different local preconditions.

Scientific Aims

To successfully conduct these studies approaches have to be developed, enabling an identification of what was considered to be a resource and to determine how these resources were valuated. Furthermore specific ways of the use of resources, as well as mechanisms of control of landscape and trade-routes are in the focus of this project. By this three closely linked aims are pursued:

1. For the first time in the study of the prehistory of the Iberian Peninsula the dynamics and the diversity of resource related socio-cultural phenomena will be analysed and reconstructed comprehensively in a long-term perspective, covering the time from the 3rd to the 1st mill. BC. By comparing detailed studies in regions with markedly different natural conditions there will be the chance to identify resources as factors in these processes more perspicuously than before.

2. The concept of resources used in the Collaborative Research Centre ResourceCultures, understanding resources as a social and cultural construct, will help to identify a wide variety of socio-economically important resources, far exceeding the results of studies about metals and agricultural products traditionally discussed in scientific research.

3. Likewise based on this concept of resources, on a general level the interrelationship between divergent natural preconditions, kinds of use of resources and different socio-cultural processes of interaction and transformation will be analysed to serve as a model for prehistoric research. The methodological tools to identify resources of central significance for the development of societies will be sharpened and the awareness of the importance of cultural constructs in this respect will be increased. Additionally project A 02 has a considerable potential to methodologically contribute to the common aim of developing the concept of resources used in the Collaborative Research Centre by its comparative diachronic analysis of complementary regional studies.

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