At the Gates
of Europe:
of Europe:
the Aegean, the Adriatic
and the Social Logic
of Encounter
during
the LBA
the LBA
By Francesco Iacono
(University of Cambridge)
The narrative of a Mediterranean Bronze Age civilisation
uni-directionally shaped by the influence of the ‘civilised’ core has
dramatically changed in recent times, when alternative narratives have emerged
and acquired momentum. These have highlighted the importance of the ‘west’
broadly intended as encompassing the central Mediterranean and Europe, in
shaping social dynamics of the basin. Adriatic Southern Italy played a pivotal
role as represented a critical trait d’union between the north of the peninsula
and resource-rich Europe on the one side, and the Minoan/Mycenaean world on the
other.
uni-directionally shaped by the influence of the ‘civilised’ core has
dramatically changed in recent times, when alternative narratives have emerged
and acquired momentum. These have highlighted the importance of the ‘west’
broadly intended as encompassing the central Mediterranean and Europe, in
shaping social dynamics of the basin. Adriatic Southern Italy played a pivotal
role as represented a critical trait d’union between the north of the peninsula
and resource-rich Europe on the one side, and the Minoan/Mycenaean world on the
other.
From the vantage point of this area, I will synthesise the history of
these connections. In doing so my starting point will be the notion of
encounter. A well-established concept within in anthropology and archaeology,
encounter has only recently started to be employed more frequently for the
Bronze Age central Mediterranean. My approach to encounter however, will be
different from the ‘classic’ post-colonial one as it will merge Marxist social
theory and network ‘thinking’. Through this perspective I will try to unfold
how the role of the Adriatic as a main hub has evolved through much of the
second millennium BC, and in turn in what ways this has shaped local societies
at the gates of Europe.
these connections. In doing so my starting point will be the notion of
encounter. A well-established concept within in anthropology and archaeology,
encounter has only recently started to be employed more frequently for the
Bronze Age central Mediterranean. My approach to encounter however, will be
different from the ‘classic’ post-colonial one as it will merge Marxist social
theory and network ‘thinking’. Through this perspective I will try to unfold
how the role of the Adriatic as a main hub has evolved through much of the
second millennium BC, and in turn in what ways this has shaped local societies
at the gates of Europe.
Από διάλεξη του Francesco Iacono, που δόθηκε την Παρασκευή 16
Νοεμβρίου 2018, ώρα 19:00 στο Σουηδικό Ινστιτούτο Αθηνών (Μητσαίων 9, Αθήνα).
Νοεμβρίου 2018, ώρα 19:00 στο Σουηδικό Ινστιτούτο Αθηνών (Μητσαίων 9, Αθήνα).
Οργάνωση:
Αιγεύς και Σουηδικό Ινστιτούτο Αθηνών.
Αιγεύς και Σουηδικό Ινστιτούτο Αθηνών.
ΛΕΞΕΙΣ-ΚΛΕΙΔΙΑ: ΑΙΓΑΙΟ, ΑΔΡΙΑΤΙΚΗ, ΕΥΡΩΠΗ, ΜΕΣΟΓΕΙΟΣ, ΙΤΑΛΙΑ, ΚΡΗΤΗ, ΜΙΝΩΙΚΟΣ ΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΜΟΣ, ΜΥΚΗΝΑΙΚΟΣ ΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΜΟΣ, ΜΥΚΗΝΕΣ, ΙΑΚΟΝΟ, ΚΑΙΜΠΡΙΤΖ
