Papers from a conference on Bronze Age warfare held in December 2012 at the University of Gothenburg. Includes bibliographical references and index.
Contents:
1. Introducing Bronze Age warfare / Christian Horn and Kristian Kristiansen -- 2. Bronze Age encounters : violent or peaceful? / Anthony Harding -- 3. Warfare and the political economy : Europe 1500-1100 BC / Kristian Kristiansen -- 4. Warfare vs. exchange? : thoughts on an integrative approach / Christian Horn -- 5. Maritime warfare in Scandinavian rock art / Johan Ling and Andreas Toreld -- 6. Bronze weaponry and cultural mobility in Late Bronze Age southeast Europe / Barry Molloy -- 7. The emergence of specialized combat weapons in the Levantine Bronze Age / Florian Klimscha -- 8. Beyond the grave : crafting identities in the middle Bronze Age Southern Trans Urals / Derek Pitman and Roger Doonan -- 9. Carp's tongue swords and their use : functional, technological, and morphological aspects / Marc Gener -- 10. Warfare or sacrifice? : archaeological research on the Bronze Age site in the Tollense Valley, Northeast Germany / Gundula Lidke, Ute Brinker, Detlef Jantzen, Anne Dombrowsky, Jana Drager, Joachim Kruger and Thomas Terberger -- 11. Violence and ritual in Late Bronze Age Britain : weapon depositions and their interpretation / Tobias Mortz -- 12. "Warrior graves" vs. warrior graves in the Bronze Age Aegean / Ioannis Georganas -- 13. The Chief and his sword? : some thoughts on the swordbearer's rank in the early Nordic Bronze Age / Jan-Heinrich Bunnefeld -- 14. Becoming the warrior : constructed identity or functional identity? / Kate Anderson -- 15. Body aesthetics, fraternity, and warfare in the long European Bronze Age : postscriptum / Helle Vandkilde.
Summary:
"In this book, it is argued that the Bronze Age represents the global emergence of a militarized society with a martial culture, materialized in a package of new efficient weapons that remained in use for millennia to come. It is evidenced in the ostentatious display of weapons in burials and hoards, as well as in iconography, from rock art to palace frescoes (Osgood, Monks and Toms 2000). This development has been described in a variety of ways: as the emergence of warrior aristocracies (Kristiansen 1999; Treherne 1995; Vandkilde chapter this book), linked to the emergence of the 'Hero' and his retinue (Hansen 2014; Vandkilde postscript), or simply through a study of weapons and their indications of use (Harding 2007; Horn 2013; Kristiansen 1984 and 2002; Molloy 2007; Quillec 2007; Randsborg 1995). It all comes down to the historical fact that warfare becomes institutionalized and professionalized during the Bronze Age, a new class of warriors make their appearance, even if there were differences between Eurasia, the Mediterranean and Europe, rooted in their different social and political complexity. However, they were not bigger than warriors employed similar types of swords and warrior gear. The causes behind this development can be traced back to a combination of factors"--Provided by publisher. "Warfare in Bronze Age Society takes a fresh look at warfare and its role in reshaping Bronze Age society. The Bronze Age represents the global emergence of a militarized society with a martial culture, materialized in a package of new efficient weapons that remained in use for millennia to come. Warfare became institutionalized and professionalized during the Bronze Age, and a new class of warriors made their appearance. Evidence for this development is reflected in the ostentatious display of weapons in burials and hoards, and in iconography, from rock art to palace frescoes. These new manifestations of martial culture constructed the warrior as a 'Hero' and warfare as 'Heroic.' The case studies, written by an international team of scholars, discuss these and other new aspects of Bronze Age warfare. Moreover, the essays show that warriors also facilitated mobility and innovation as new weapons would have quickly spread from the Mediterranean to northern Europe"--Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.