Mortuary differentiation and social organization at the cemeteries of the Cycladic islands and the Mainland Greece in the Early Bronze Age.

Postgraduate Thesis uoadl:1678913 820 Read counter

Unit:
Κατεύθυνση Προϊστορική Αρχαιολογία
Library of the School of Philosophy
Deposit date:
2017-06-23
Year:
2017
Author:
Noutsos Lampros
Supervisors info:
Ιωάννης Παπαδάτος, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής Προϊστορικής Αρχαιολογίας, Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας, Φιλοσοφική Σχολή, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών

Κωνσταντίνος Κοπανιάς, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής Αρχαιολογίας Ανατολικής Μεσογείου, Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας, Φιλοσοφική Σχολή, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών

Αφροδίτη Χασιακού, Λέκτορας Προϊστορικής Αρχαιολογίας, Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας, Φιλοσοφική Σχολή, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών
Original Title:
Ταφική διαφοροποίηση και κοινωνική οργάνωση στα νεκροταφεία των Κυκλάδων και της Ηπειρωτικής Ελλάδας κατά την Πρώιμη Εποχή του Χαλκού.
Languages:
Greek
Translated title:
Mortuary differentiation and social organization at the cemeteries of the Cycladic islands and the Mainland Greece in the Early Bronze Age.
Summary:
Majority of the archaeological evidence from the South Aegean of EBA I-II is coming from the mortuary contexts, though very little is coming from the settlements. In the settlements occur very few signs of social complexity and differentiation, until the end of EBA II, where, the so-called "Corridor Houses" make their appearance. For this reason mortuary contexts are out of great importance for measuring the degree of social complexity and its differentiation, as well as to define its characterization.
However, examining social differentiation through mortuary evidence is a rather challenging field of research, especially if the modern theoretical approaches are taken into consideration. According to these, burial customs are not a direct reflection of the social reality, but only a vague picture of it. These types of evidence reproducing some signs of social systems, nonetheless they can also distort, alter and conceal the forms of social relations. Furthermore, the treatment of the dead is not only influenced by the social organization, but also by ideological perceptions, rituals and symbolic codes. Therefore, it is not possible to know with certainty whether funerary data is a true representation of the reality, and up to which extent.
The aim of this essay is to analyze and identify mortuary differentiations regarding the way the dead were buried and in conjunction with the research and study of the wider historical and cultural context to examine whether or not the extent of the differences in burial treatment of the dead within the same and between different communities can mean social differentiation, inequality and hierarchy.
For this reason, nine cemeteries (Akrotiri, Ayioi Anargyroi, Chalandriani, Aplomata, Spedos, Dokathismata, Tsepi Marathon, Aghios Kosmas and Manika Chalkis) have been selected covering all phases from ΕΒΑ I to ΕΒΑ II in two geographical regions. This comparative analysis assists to identify any possible spatial and temporal variations regarding the organization of communities of EBA.
The methodology used in the differentiation data is arising from the analysis of the remains found in each site (cemetery) separately. Differentiation criteria were included, such as: signs of spatial planning organization, different types of graves and their elaboration, the burial deposition and the body treatment program, evidence from the skeletal remains and funeral offerings.
After the throughout analysis of all the cemeteries, the conclusions drawn from the mortuary evidences and the signs of horizontal and vertical social differentiation that arise from this data have been formulated. The conclusion was driven by the comparison of the two geographically different areas in order to identify similarities and differences in the field of burial activity, which led to interpretations regarding their social organization.
Main subject category:
Archaeology
Keywords:
EBA I-II, Cyclades, Mainland Greece, burial customs, mortuary differentiation, social organisation.
Index:
No
Number of index pages:
0
Contains images:
Yes
Number of references:
485
Number of pages:
247
File:
File access is restricted only to the intranet of UoA.

Νούτσος Λάμπρος. ΜΔΕ 2017. Ταφική διαφοροποίηση και κοινωνική οργάνωση στα νεκροταφεία των Κυκλάδων και της Ηπειρωτικής Ελλάδας κατά την ΠΕΧ..pdf
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File access is restricted only to the intranet of UoA.