An Island Polity
The Archaeology of Exploitation in Melos
Published on 8. April 1982
Book
Hardback
376 pages
978-0-521-23785-7 (ISBN)
Description
The Greek island of Melos in the Cyclades has been inhabited for at least five thousand years. Two periods of its history are well documented: the late Bronze Age, when it supported an important urban centre at Phylakopi and the late fifth century BC, when as an independent city-state it briefly defied and was then destroyed by the expansionist power of Athens. The case of Melos is thus relevant to the understanding of the processes of early state-formation and of the integration of small-scale societies into larger political units. As the contributors to this volume show, a small island provides a very suitable area - clearly defined, self-contained - in which to examine the processes of social, cultural and economic change and the forces - sometimes gradual and almost imperceptible in their effect, sometimes sudden and dramatic - by which changes are initiated.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 276 mm
Width: 219 mm
Thickness: 26 mm
Weight
1192 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-521-23785-7 (9780521237857)
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01/2009
Cambridge University Press
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Additional editions
Book
01/2009
Cambridge University Press
€61.80
Shipment within 15-20 days
Content
1. Introduction: an initial perspective Colin Renfrew and Malcolm Wagstaff; Part I. The History of Society in Melos: 2. A preliminary definition of site distribution on Melos John F. Cherry; 3. The earliest prehistory of Melos John F. Cherry and Robin Torrence; 4. Bronze age Melos Colin Renfrew; 5. Classical and Roman Melos Brian A. Sparkes; 6. Post-Roman Melos Malcolm Wagstaff; Part II. Environmental System and Constraints: 7. The geology of Melos Peter Shelford; 8. Geomorphological evolution during the late Holocene Donald Davidson and Catriona Tasker; 9. Island resources and their limitations Malcolm Wagstaff and Clive Gamble; 10. Traditional land use Malcolm Wagstaff and Siv Augustson; Part III. Intra-Systemic Relations: 11. Settlement and population change Malcolm Wagstaff and John F. Cherry; 12. Early agriculture in Melos Jane M. Renfrew; 13. Animal husbandry, population and urbanisation Clive Gamble; 14. Alternative subsistence strategies Malcolm Wagstaff, Siv Augustson and Clive Gamble; Part IV. Inter-Systemic Relations: 15. The obsidian trade Peter Shelford, F. Hodson, M. E. Cosgrove, S. E. Warren and Colin Renfrew; 16. Prehistoric exchange Colin Renfrew; 17. Production and exchange in the classical and Roman periods Brian A. Sparkes; 18. Post-classical exchange Malcolm Wagstaff; Part V. Integration: 19. Settlement and resources Malcolm Wagstaff and John F. Cherry; 20. Polity and power: interaction, intensification and exploitation Colin Renfrew; Appendices; Bibliography; Index.