The Carpathian Relations of Italian Cultural Groups at the Transition from Bronze Age to Iron Age - Social and Historical Backgrounds

• Applicant: Dr. Sabine Pabst
• Subject Area: Prehistory and World Archaeology
• Term: from 2011 to 2015
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 206469868

Within the framework of the research project the cultural relationships between the Apennine Peninsula and the Carpathian Basin during Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age (14th/13th - 10th/9th century B.C.) are investigated. The common features of the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age shapes of the two areas, which have been already established in the past, concern different groups of artefacts and areas of life. While until now questions of origin and spread of separate shapes were discussed above all, a comprehensive treatment of the complex phenomenon in a comparative study allows also more extensive statements to characterize these cultural relations. Within different find areas with convergent shapes it is necessary to figure out the respective innovative cultural area on the basis of detailed analyses of typology, chronology, type history and metallurgy. The distribution of types and shapes as well as the combinations of equipment of the burial and hoard finds are incorporated into a supra-regional comparison to clarify which innovations came from concrete areas and in which regions they were adapted though. In addition, cultural influences from outside areas are included to, particularly from the eastern Mediterranean. In the final analysis the study addresses the question whether the relations are expressions of a complex but coherent cultural phenomenon or alternatively are separate phenomena of different character. Including ancient written sources on ethnic groups in Italy it should become possible to draw conclusions on the social and historical backgrounds of these cultural relationships, based on a refined research foundation.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants