Metal, nomads and culture contact
Subtitle: the Middle East and North Africa
By: Nils Anfinset.
Series: Approaches to anthropological archaeology
Publisher: Equinox Pub.
Published: 2008
Place of publication: London; Oakville, CT
Language: eng
Number of pages: 241
ISBN-13: 9781845532536
Subjects: Metal-work, Prehistoric -- Egypt; Metal-work, Prehistoric -- Nubia; Commerce, Prehistoric -- Egypt; Commerce, Prehistoric -- Nubia; Nomads -- Egypt; Nomads -- Nubia; Pastoral systems -- Egypt; Pastoral systems -- Nubia; Egypt -- Antiquities; Nubia -- Antiquities
Description: "This book contextualizes and synthezises the major cultural changes that took place in the southern Levant and northeast Africa during the 5th and 4th millennia BC. The basis is the major changes that took place with reference to animal husbandry, agriculture, exchange and interaction. The focus of the book is the introduction of metal to the southern Levant, Egypt and Lower Nubia and the role of pastoral nomadism in a context of cultural change and contact. The implications of these developments are discussed in a context of increased exchange and the development of more complex societies. With reference to the introduction of metal, the implications are explored on a social level concerning the exchange system, social transformation and the role of metal in these societies."--Publisher's description.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Introduction; title: Perspectives and approaches; title: Secondary products and nomads; title: The 5th and 4th millennia BC of the Southern Levant; title: The present and past environment; title: The late neolithic; title: The chalcolithic period; title: The early bronze age; title: Chronology and terminology; title: The last centuries of the 4th millennium in the Southern Levant; title: Concluding remarks; title: The 5th and 4th millennia BC of North-East Africa; title: Present and past environment; title: The late neolithic in Egypt and Nubia; title: The 5th millennium; title: Pastoralism and food production of the western desert of Egypt; title: The predynastic periods of Egypt : Naqada and Maadi; title: The 4th millennium; title: Lower Nubia in the 4th millennium; title: The Nubian a-group; title: The timing of the Nubian a-group; title: Concluding remarks; title: The role of nomadic pastoralists; title: Present nomads in North East Africa and the Southern Levant; title: Archaeology and nomadic pastoralists; title: Pastoral nomadism in Northeast Africa and the Southern Levant during the 5th and 4th millennia BC; title: Concluding remarks; title: The role of copper in the late 5th and 4th millennia BC; title: Metallurgy, mining, smelting and casting copper artefacts and contexts; title: Metallurgical aspects of copper; title: Copper beyond Egypt and Africa; title: Concluding remarks; title: Contact, specialisation and value; title: Contact and exchange in the 5th and 4th millennia; title: Growing focus on specialisation and ritualisation; title: The social value of early copper; title: Concluding remarks; title: Conclusion.