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THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF NORTHERN GREECE 1: key information |
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| A different region physically and climatically. | ||||||
| high mountains, major rivers and plains | ||||||
| harsh winters, hot summers | ||||||
| olives only grow on coastal fringes - Chalcidike, Thesprotia | ||||||
| Different culturally from beginning of Bronze Age to Late Classical | ||||||
| Only coastal settlements have Aegean characteristics. | ||||||
| Contact in EBA, acculturation in LBA, colonisation from EIA | ||||||
| Main divisions W-E:- | ||||||
| Kerkyra - mild fertile island | ||||||
| Thesprotia - coastal strip | ||||||
| S. Epirus - Greece - mountains and valleys | ||||||
| N. Epirus - Albania - mountains and valleys | ||||||
| Western Macedonia - mountains, river Haliakmon - lake basins | ||||||
| S.E Albania, S. Yugoslavia - mountains, rivers - lake basins | ||||||
| Western Macedonia - coastal plain | ||||||
| Central Macedonia - mostly low hills, plains, river Axios (Vardar) | ||||||
| Chalcidike - rolling countryside, long coast line, mild climate | ||||||
| Eastern Macedonia - coastal fringe - from river Strymon to Nestos | ||||||
| Thasos - 'Aegean' island, mild, fertile | ||||||
| Thrace - coastal fringe - from Nestos to Evros | ||||||
| Resources:- | ||||||
| Agricultural, upland and lowland grazing, timber | ||||||
| Gold in Thasos, C. Macedonia, E. Macedonia (Pangaion) | ||||||
| Copper in Chalcidike, E. Macedonia | ||||||
| Silver in E. Macedonia (Pangaion), S. Yugoslavia (Ochrid). | ||||||
| Importance in LBA and EIA periods:- | ||||||
| Traditionally - homeland of Dorians | ||||||
| Archaeologically (past theories) - source/route of n. invaders | ||||||
| Archaeologically (today) - acculturation by Mycenaean civilization | ||||||
| - mirror of events in S. Greece | ||||||
| - scene of first 'colonial' effort | ||||||
| - expansion N-S in early part of IA | ||||||
| - extensive interaction N/S in later IA | ||||||
| - source of raw materials ? | ||||||
| Bibliography:- | ||||||
| Stelios Andreou, Michael Fotiadis, and Kostas Kotsakis, The Neolithic and Bronze Age of Northern Greece, (orig. pub. in AJA 100 [1996] 537-97), Addendum: 1996-1999, Aegean Prehistory: A Review." (AJA Supplement 1, 2001) | ||||||
| N.G.L. Hammond Epirus | ||||||
| N.G.L. Hammond Macedonia Vol 1 | ||||||
| K.A. Wardle, 'Cultural Groups of the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age in NW Greece', Godisnjak Sarajevo 1977, 153-199 | ||||||
| K.A. Wardle, 'Early Years, The Cultures' in Macedonia: 4000 years of Greek History 30-45, G. Christopoulos (ed) Athens 1982 | ||||||
| K.A. Wardle, 'The Prehistory of Northern Greece: A Geographical perspective', in Aphieroma ston N.G.L. Hammond, Thessaloniki 1997 | ||||||
| K.A. Wardle, 'Change or continuity: Assiros Toumba at the transition from Bronze to Iron Age, AEMTH 10 1997 | ||||||
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The web site of the archaeological museum of Thessaloniki with an account of the prehistory of the region from Neolithic to Late Bronze Age can be found at:- http://alexander.macedonia.culture.gr/2/21/211/21117m/prehistory/index.htm |
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The introduction to the Late Bronze Age can be found at:- http://alexander.macedonia.culture.gr/2/21/211/21117m/prehistory/28.htm |
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Northern Greece 2: 1200-1000 BC
Northern Greece 3: 1000-900 BC