Session: #197

Theme & Session Format

Theme:
Mediterranean seascapes
Session format:
Session, made up of a combination of papers, max. 15 minutes each

Title & Content

Title:
Harbours and routes of the Eastern Mediterranean during the Bronze Age and Early Iron Age
Content:
Maritime routes and their terrestrial components formed the trade networks in which the anchorages and harbours were the funnels, both to imports and exports. Archaeological data and its interpretation is an important element in the study of the contacts between the Aegean, Cyprus, Anatolia, Egypt and the Levant in the Bronze and Early Iron Ages.
Anchorages/harbours such as Kommos in Crete, Pylos in mainland Greece, Enkomi in Cyprus and Ugarit, Sidon and Tell Abu Hawam in the Levant functioned as entrepôts for imported/exported products. The productive capability and access to raw materials of some of these anchorages/harbours were limited and often they just served as refinement of the goods originating in the hinterland. Those included agricultural products which were sent out for the exchange of luxury items.
The importance of this topic lies in its interregional approach, analysing the interconnections between different Mediterranean regions; as well as exploring maritime and land transport technologies, routes and trading strategies.
We welcome papers related to harbour functions, inland harbour connections, imported/exported materials and maritime transport in the Aegean, Cyprus, the Levant and Egypt during the Middle Bronze Age, Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age.
Keywords:
Eastern Mediterranean, interconnections, anchorages/harbours, routes.
Session associated with MERC:
no
Session associated with CIfA:
no
Session associated with SAfA:
no

Organisers

Main organiser:
Jose Martin Garcia (Spain) 1
Co-organisers:
Dr. Vyron Antoniadis (Greece) 2
Judith Muñoz Sogas (Spain) 3
Paz Ramirez Valiente (Spain) 4
Affiliations:
1. Universidad Pompeu fabra
2. Academy of Athens
3. Universidad Pompeu Fabra
4. University of Nottingham