10:30 Uhr bis 12:00 Uhr (Check-In ab 10:15 Uhr)
This talk will explore the chronological and cultural dynamics of the Bell Beaker phenomenon in the western Mediterranean during the third millennium BCE, drawing on new results from the Seascapes project. While the Bell Beaker complex has long been recognised for its extraordinary geographic spread—from North Africa to northeastern Europe—its origins, diffusion, and social meaning remain contested, in part due to the limited resolution of existing radiocarbon datasets. By integrating more than 150 newly obtained radiocarbon dates with a critical reassessment of published measurements, the project applies Bayesian chronological modelling to a range of key sites, including fortified settlements such as Zambujal (Portugal) and Los Millares (Spain). This refined framework enables us to examine the timing and tempo of Bell Beaker adoption across coastal and insular regions, shedding light on the rhythms of cultural connectivity that linked the western Mediterranean to broader European networks. Beyond chronology, the project also pioneers the direct dating of decorated Bell Beaker vessels through compound-specific radiocarbon analysis of absorbed organic residues. Lipid data provides complementary insights into dietary practices and subsistence strategies within these maritime and coastal communities. These dual strands—chronology and diet—allow us to approach the Bell Beaker complex not simply as a stylistic or technological package, but as a dynamic system of social interactions, exchange, and food practices. Taken together, the results of the Seascapes project advance our understanding of how communities around the Mediterranean engaged with, transformed, and disseminated the Bell Beaker phenomenon. They also underscore the importance of high-resolution chronological and dietary evidence for reconstructing the deep interconnections that shaped European societies in the third millennium BCE.
Dozentin:
Eve Derenne, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and University of Bristol
Veranstalter:
Landesamt für Denkmalpflege (LAD), Fachbereich Feuchtbodenarchäologie, Hemmenhofen
Rückfragen und dauerhafte Aufnahme in den Hauskolloquiums-Verteiler:
jasmin.schadmehri(at)rps.bwl.de
Tel. +49 7735 / 93 777 112
Meeting:
https://zoom.us/j/95104902350?pwd=mtBMYLbRhW4tBmfb9mZaj6M18YKXNn.1
Meeting-ID: 951 0490 2350
Kenncode: 918328