Iron Age in Europe

Information

  • Place: Departement of Archaeology, University of Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech republic
  • Language: English
  • Semesters: spring 2019
  • Open to: all (Bc, Mgr, PhD)

Objectives

The aim of this course is to present and discuss new discoveries and current research topics in the Iron Age archaeology in the European context. Students will be introduced into the issues linked with the emergence of European archaeological/cultural entities, throughout their social and economic development and long-distance relations, until their final destabilisation and/or transformations.

The main part of the course will deal with issues linked with the complexity and biases of existing methodological approaches of funerary and settlement areas and point out to some new methodologies and perspectives of their application for the modern archaeological inquiries. This theoretical background will be complemented by the presentation of several recent case-studies intended to investigate the problematics.

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Themes

  • 1. Introduction. Characterization of Iron Age in the European context.
  • 2. Ethnicity, dogma and politics. The role of archaeology, history and politics on the comprehension of the European Iron Age.
  • 3. Inventions in Iron Age. Inventions in the material production.
  • 4. Art, crafts and beauty in Iron Age.
  • 5. Life in Iron Age. Villages, hillforts, oppida and production centres – new investigations.
  • 6. Death in Iron Age I. Testimonies and transformations of funerary areas.
  • 7. Death in Iron Age II. Testimonies and transformations of funerary areas.
  • 8. Cult in Iron Age. Testimonies of cult and religious practices in Iron Age.
  • 9. Time of war. Testimonies of war and conflicts in Iron Age.
  • 10. Inside and outside. Contacts, trade, and the civilization of the Mediterranean.

Recommended literature

  • Buchsenschutz, O., 2015. L’Europe celtique à l’âge du Fer (VIIIe – Ier siècle), Presses Universitaires de France.
  • Collis, J., 2003. The European Iron Age, Routledge.
  • Collis, J., 2003. The Celts: origins, myths & inventions, Tempus.
  • Cunliffe, B. (2014). Iron Age Britain, Pavilion Books.
  • Fichtl, S., 2000. La ville celtique: les oppida de 150 av. J.-C. à 15 ap. J.-C., Errance.
  • Filip, J., 1959. Keltská civilizace a její dědictví. Praha.
  • Rieckhoff-Pauli, S., et al., 2001. Die Kelten in Deutschland, Theiss.