Illustrations

Front Cover: Bronze boat model from north central Sardinia (Italy) with a stag’s head at the prow and quadrupeds and birds on the gunwales. It is one of two such bronzes reportedly found accidentally in the Is Argiolas or Bonotta area of Bultei, probably as part of an otherwise destroyed or looted hoard. The bronze model is stylistically dated to the Iron Age (ca. ninth to eighth century BC). While there is little evidence to support the suggestion that these boat models served as oil lamps, they are mostly found in ritual or communal contexts in both Sardinia and, to a lesser extent, the Italian mainland (A. Depalmas 2005: Le navicelle di bronzo della Sardegna nuragica, 31, 106. Cagliari: Ettore Gasperini).

Found in 1949, this boat model is held in the National Archaeological Museum in Cagliari (Sardinia, Italy), where it is also on display. The photo was kindly taken and made available by museum staff and is reproduced by permission of the Italian Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici per le province di Cagliari e Oristano and, by extension, the Direzione Regionale per i Beni Culturali e Paesaggistici della Sardegna and the Italian Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali. We thank the soprintendente, Dr. Marco Minoja, and his collaborators for their generous support.

  0.1 Sea and mountains in southwest Sardinia.
  1.1 Satellite image of the Aegean and its closely crowded islandscape.
  1.2 Map of the Mediterranean and Europe showing chronological links.
  1.3 Cumulative percentage of east and west Mediterranean islands settled.
  1.4 The configuration of islands in the southern Aegean.
  1.5 Proximal Point Analyses for the Early Bronze Age Cyclades.
  2.1 Map of the Aegean, with main sites mentioned in text.
  2.2 Depas amphikypellon from Akrotiri, Thera.
  2.3 Cups imported from north-central Crete to Thera.
  2.4 Local Theran imitation of Cretan shape and decoration.
  2.5 Local Theran version of Cretan-type ledge-rim bowl.
  2.6 LH IIIC pots from the Kamini and Aplomata cemeteries on Naxos.
  3.1 Map of the Balearic Islands.
  3.2 View of the Bronze Age village of S’Hospitalet Vell (Majorca).
  3.3 Sample of prismatic and pyramidal V-perforated buttons from Menorca.
  3.4 Flaked tabular blade.
  3.5 View of the fortified promontory of Cala Morell in Menorca.
  3.6 Talayot of Cornia Nou in Menorca.
  4.1 The Sicilian archipelago.
  4.2 Cycles of mobility in the south-central Mediterranean in the Bronze Age.
  4.3 EBA Aegean-Mediterranean contacts and Maltese and Sicilian MBA pottery.
  4.4 Distribution of Sicilian and Maltese Bronze Age pottery.
  5.1 Map of the southern Tyrrhenian area.
  5.2 Maps of EBA and MBA sites in Sicily and Aeolian islands.
  5.3 Early Bronze Age matt-painted Castelluccio pottery from La Muculufa.
  5.4 Early Bronze Age Rodì-Tindari-Vallelunga pottery from Sicily.
  5.5 Early Bronze Age Capo Graziano pottery.
  5.6 Plan of the EBA village of Capo Graziano on Filicudi.
  5.7 Middle Bronze Age Thapsos pottery.
  5.8 Middle Bronze Age handmade Thapsos pottery.
  5.9 Overview map and settlement plan of the Middle Bronze Age site of Thapsos.
  5.10 Plan of the Middle Bronze Age village of Portella on Salina.
  5.11 Late Bronze Age ‘Ausonian I’ burial urns and grave goods from Milazzo.
  5.12 View of Late Bronze Age Pantalica.
  5.13 Section drawing of a rock-cut Late Bronze Age tholos at Sant’Angelo Muxaro.
  5.14 Late Bronze Age pottery from Pantalica.
  6.1 Nuraghe Ruju (Filigosa).
  6.2 Nuraghe Serucci (Gonnesa).
  6.3 Nuraghe Arrubiu (Orroli).
  6.4 Map of Sardinia showing find spots of Aegean pottery.
  6.5 Map of Sardinia showing find spots of copper oxhide ingots.
  6.6 Map of Sardinia showing find spots of Tiryns and Allumiere amber beads.
  7.1 Map of Uruk and Egyptian expansions.
  7.2 The Egyptian colony in the southwest Levant and its environs.
  7.3 Map of Kura-Araks and related settlement.
  7.4 Markers of the Kura-Araks cultural ‘package’.
  7.5 Kura-Araks cultural influence in the Euphrates valley.
  7.6 Kura-Araks cultural influence in the Euphrates valley.
  7.7 KKW vessels (1–6) contrasted with serving vessels in the local tradition.
  7.8 KKW andirons and the reconstructed cooking ensemble.
  8.1 Maps of sites discussed and in the Eskişehir region.
  8.2 Beak-spouted pitcher from Karataş settlement deposit.
  8.3 Reconstruction of in situ pottery at Beycesultan.
  8.4 Reconstruction of a later phase of the Demircihöyük settlement.
  9.1 Map of Mediterranean Europe.
  9.2 Map of the Aegean.
  9.3 Map of the eastern Adriatic coast.
  9.4 The walls of Monkodonja.
  9.5 Kotorac-type vessel of the Cetina culture.
  10.1 Map of Greece showing principal early Iron Age sites.
  10.2 Athenian Agora Tomb 13, plan and sections.
  10.3 Iron weapons and other objects from Tomb 13.
  10.4 Map of the Mediterranean and Black Seas.
  10.5 Schematic family trees of the early alphabetic scripts.
  10.6 The Dipylon oinochoe.
  11.1 Map of sites mentioned in the text.
  11.2 Wheelmade pottery from Purullena and Montoro.
  11.3 Ship depiction at Laxe dos Cervos.
  11.4 The Villena hoard.
  11.5 Berzocana hoard.
  11.6 Bronze hafted iron chisel from the Baiôes hoard.
  11.7 Warrior stele from Cortijo de la Reina.
  11.8 Epigraphic stele from Estela de Neves II.
  12.1 Map of major sites mentioned in the text.
  12.2 Levantine shapes from Malta.
  12.3 Sixth-century BC krater from Sabucina.
  13.1 Map of the Ionian coast of south Italy.
  13.2 Plan of the site of L’Amastuola.
  13.3 Aerial view and plan of the sites at Incoronata di Pisticci.
  13.4 Figured basin with relief friezes and Spartan krater from Incoronata di Pisticci.
  13.5 Plans of Timpone della Motta, Francavilla Marittima.
  13.6 Map of the southern Apennine mountains.
  13.7 Torre di Satriano in Iron Age II.
  13.8 Torre di Satriano: apsidal building.
  13.9 Torre di Satriano: digital reconstruction of the anaktoron.
  13.10 Torre di Satriano: matt-painted pottery from the apsidal building.
  13.11 Torre di Satriano: aerial view of the anaktoron.
  13.12 Torre di Satriano: fragments of the raking sima from the anaktoron.
  13.13 Torre di Satriano: fragments from the terracotta frieze from the anaktoron.
  14.1 Map of southern Canaan: the Philistine heartland and its periphery.
  14.2 Aegean-affiliated cylindrical loomweights from Iron Age I Philistine Ashkelon.
  14.3 Aegean-affiliated Bichrome Philistine pottery.
  14.4 Perforated cylindrical loomweights from Tel Qasile.
  14.5 Iron Age I pottery from Tel Beth-Shemesh.
  14.6 Comparative distribution of Aegean-style pottery of the Bichrome phase.
  14.7 Pork consumption in contemporaneous Iron Age I sites.
  15.1 Localities cited in the text.
  15.2 House plans from Serra Orrios, and nuraghe Serucci, Gonnesa.
  15.3 Selection of fibulae from Sardinia.
  15.4 Imported bronzes.
  15.5 Mediterranean distribution of ZitA amphorae and askoid jugs.
  15.6 Distribution of Oriental bronzes and Etruscan and Greek pottery.
  15.7 Sardinian bronzetti statuettes.
  15.8 Sardinian bronzetti statuettes and statues from Monte Prama.
  15.9 Map of the Sinis in the eighth century BC.
  16.1 Limestone votive relief from Golgoi.
  16.2 Protocorinthian pyxis with Herakles and Geryon.
  16.3 Fragmentary terracotta statuette of ‘Cypriote Geryon’ from Pyrga.
  16.4 Limestone statue of ‘Cypriote Geryon’ from Golgoi.
  16.5 Limestone statuettes of ‘Cypriote Geryon’ from Golgoi.
  16.6 Limestone relief slab of Herakles and Orthros from Golgoi.
  16.7 Votive bronze breastplate from the Heraion, Samos.
  16.8 Limestone statue of lion-skin-clad archer (‘Cypriote-Herakles’) from Golgoi.
  16.9 Limestone votive relief with cultic scene from Golgoi.
  17.1 Map showing the main sites mentioned in the text.
  17.2 Metallurgical furnace from Huelva and reconstruction.
  17.3 Hand-modelled pottery from Lixus.
  17.4 Reconstruction of the ancient landscape around Cerro del Villar.
  17.5 The settlement of La Fonteta.
  17.6 View of the houses at Sa Caleta, Ibiza.
  17.7 Aerial view of Empúries (Museu d’Arqueologia de Catalunya-Empúries).
  18.1 Map of Crete.
  18.2 Plan of the Lebena Yerokampos II tomb.
  18.3 The interior of Tomb Gamma at Archanes.
  18.4 The EM cemetery at Agia Photia.
  18.5 Plan of the Knossos ‘palace’.
  19.1 Lapis lazuli cylinder seal of so-called intercultural style, Thebes, Greece.
  19.2 Beads and ornaments of lapis lazuli and agate, Thebes, Greece.
  19.3 Finds from tholos tomb at Kazarma, Greece.
  19.4 Drawing of temple of Seti I from Abydos.
  19.5 Reconstruction of carved relief blocks at gateway of Alaca Höyük.
  20.1 Figures from the Theban tomb of Menkheperreseneb, Theban Tomb 86.
  20.2 Egypt and the eastern Mediterranean.
  20.3 Figures captioned ‘Tjekker’ from Medinet Habu.
  21.1 Example of a tourist (low-end collector) keepsake.
  21.2 Licensed antiquities shop, Old City, Jerusalem.
  21.3 Cycladic figurine replica.
  21.4 Early Bronze Age sites of Kavos and Dhaskalio, Keros, Greece.
  22.1 Rock relief of Warpalawaš, İvriz, south-central Turkey.
  22.2 Landscape at İvriz, south-central Turkey, with view of Kocaburun Kayası.
  22.3 Second rock relief of Warpalawaš, at İvriz, Turkey.
  22.4 Hittite rock relief at Fıraktın on the Zamantı Su River basin.
  22.5 ‘Source of the Tigris’ (‘Tigris Tunnel’) site, Cave I entrance.
  22.6 ‘Source of the Tigris’ (‘Tigris Tunnel’) site, Birkleyn Çay gorge.
  22.7 Relief image of Tiglath-pileser I on Tigris Tunnel (Cave I) walls.
  22.8 The site of Karabur with Neo-Assyrian rock reliefs.
  22.9 Karabur Neo-Assyrian rock relief near Antakya.
  22.10 Phrygian ‘Midas Monument’ at Yazılıkaya/Midas City.
  23.1 Access graphs of Protohistoric Bronze Age houses.
  23.2 A nonverbal communication approach to the built environment.
  23.3 Schematic plan of Episkopi Bamboula Area A, Stratum E.
  23.4 Schematic plan of Pyla Kokkinokremos.
  23.5 Schematic plan of Kalavasos Ayios Dhimitrios Building II.
  23.6 Schematic plan of Maa Palaeokastro Building II, Floor 2.
  23.7 Plan of LC IIIA Enkomi.
  24.1 Map of the Pylos Regional Archaeological Project (PRAP) survey area.
  24.2 Nichoria site plan and excavation areas.
  24.3 Nichoria excavation units.
  24.4 Maps of east Crete and Mirabello Bay sites.
  24.5 Chalinomouri farmhouse.
  24.6 Plan and location of the Chrysokamino farmhouse.
  24.7 Buildings and pottery from Kavousi Vronda.
  25.1 Map of Etruria.
  25.2 Map of central Italy with inland sites.
  25.3 Map of the Tolfa Hills, southern Etruria.
  26.1 Map of northern Iberia.
  26.2 Reconstruction of the Neolithic site of Barranc d’en Fabra.
  26.3 Els Vilars d’Arbeca plan and view.
  26.4 Quantitative development of Mediterranean pottery imports.
  26.5 Quantitative evolution of different categories of Mediterranean imports.
  26.6 Reconstruction of Aldovesta and aerial view of Sant Jaume-Mas d’en Serrà.
  26.7 Plan and view of Puig de Sant Andreu, Ullastret.
  26.8 Map of northern Iberia.
  26.9 Iberian inscription from Castellet de Banyoles.
  26.10 Iberian stela from Palermo, Caspe.
  27.1 Map of the region of Valencia showing sites discussed.
  27.2 House plans from Edeta (Tossal de San Miguel, Llíria, Valencia).
  27.3 La Bastida de les Alcusses (Moixent, Valencia).
  27.4 Painted vase from Edeta (Tossal de San Miguel, Llíria, Valencia).
  27.5 House plans from Kelin (Caudete de los Fuentes, Valencia).
  27.6 House plans from La Bastida de les Alcusses (Moixent, Valencia).
  27.7 Artist’s impression of La Bastida de les Alcusses (Moixent, Valencia).
  27.8 Aerial photo and plan of El Castellet de Bernabé (Lliría, Valencia).
  27.9 Plans of El Puntal dels Llops (Olocau, Valencia).
  27.10 Plans of Rambla de la Alcantarilla and El Zoquete (Requena, Valencia).
  28.1 Overview map of Phoenician and Tartessian settlement in southwest Iberia.
  28.2 Reconstructed paleogeography of the Bay of Cádiz.
  28.3 Finds from La Joya and map of routes between Huelva and Gadir.
  28.4 Plan of Abul and two items from the Gaio hoard in Sines.
  28.5 Miniature oxhide ingot from the El Carambolo hoard and site plan.
  28.6 The Aliseda hoard from Cáceres.
  28.7 Aerial overview of the Medellín area.
  28.8 Map of settlement distribution in the Alentejo (Portugal) and site plan.
  28.9 Plans of the rural elite residences at Cancho Roano and La Mata.
  29.1 Map of southern France with the location of the main sites.
  29.2 Plan of Le Traversant.
  29.3 Photo of a reconstructed hut at Ruscino.
  29.4 Photo of the destruction layers in zone 27 at Lattes.
  29.5 Plan of house 1 at Gailhan.
  29.6 Plan of zone 1 at Lattes during the phase 1P.
  29.7 Photo of the destruction layers of House BI at Martigues.
  29.8 Aerial view of Lattes.
  29.9 Schematic plans of Lattes, Martigues and Nages.
  29.10 Transformation of house 406 into house 410 at Lattes.
  29.11 Plan of house 58 ABE at Pech Maho.
  29.12 Schematic plans of protohistoric courtyard houses in southern France.
  29.13 Virtual reconstruction of courtyard houses at Lattes.
  30.1 Map of Early Bronze Age funerary sites.
  30.2 Adding rooms to the original unit: house tombs.
  30.3 Adding rooms to the original unit: tholos tombs.
  30.4 Pithos and Larnax burials, Tholos E at Archanes.
  30.5 Tholoi associated with enclosure walls and/or paved areas.
  31.1 Map of El Argar culture.
  31.2 View of the Argaric site of Fuente Álamo (Almería).
  31.3 Grave goods from tomb 9 in Fuente Álamo.
  31.4 Cranial traumatism from the Argaric site of Castellón Alto.
  31.5 Burnished Argaric pottery.
  31.6 Vessel of substandard finish found at the Argaric site of Cerro de la Encina.
  31.7 Argaric awl from Rincón de Almendricos.
  32.1 Sites discussed in text.
  32.2 Plans of burials at La Traviesa, Atalaia, Talho de Chaparrinho and Peñalosa.
  32.3 Rock art of the High Atlas.
  33.1 Map of Cyprus, showing sites mentioned in text.
  33.2 Plan showing burial areas at Enkomi and Salamis.
  33.3 Late Bronze Age tomb at Enkomi.
  33.4 Plan of SToZ-TI, Salamis.
  33.5 Map of the Cypro-Geometric and Cypro-Archaic burial areas at Palaepaphos.
  34.1 Map of Etruria.
  34.2 Chronological chart of the main Etruscan and Italic periods.
  34.3 Settlements and cemeteries of Veii.
  34.4 First Iron Age ritual objects from Bisentium-Olmo Bello.
  34.5 Gold pectoral from the Regolini-Galassi tomb (Cerveteri).
  34.6 The ‘living ancestors’ of the Orientalizing period.
  34.7 The Monte Michele tomb 5 in Veii.
  34.8 Casale Marittimo (Volterra).
  34.9 The Regolini-Galassi tomb in Cerveteri.
  34.10 Grave goods from the Regolini-Galassi tomb in Cerveteri.
  35.1 Selected Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age ‘art’.
  36.1 Map of Cyprus showing sites mentioned in the text.
  36.2 Karmi Palealona Tomb 6.
  36.3 Shrine model, probably from Marki.
  36.4 Vessels and figurines from Vounous.
  36.5 Elaborate Style, Derivative Style and Common Style seals.
  36.6 The courtyard wall of Sanctuary I at Kouklia.
  36.7 The Horned God, the Ingot God and the Bomford Goddess.
  37.1 Distribution of Early Bronze Age and Middle Bronze Age sites.
  37.2 The Noceto wooden basin.
  37.3 One of the ploughs found inside the Noceto wooden basin.
  37.4 Distribution of Late Bronze Age sites.
  37.5 Final Bronze Age shin guards from the Desmontà graveyard.
  37.6 Final Bronze Age swords ritually deposited in the Mezzano lake.
  37.7 Final Bronze Age and early Iron Age miniature vases.
  37.8 Pratica di Mare, Final Bronze Age grave 21.
  37.9 Distribution of early Iron Age sites.
  37.10 Reconstruction of the early Iron Age temple of Vesta, Rome.
  37.11 Early Iron Age grave of Veii, Casale del Fosso.
  37.12 Early Iron Age cult wagon from Bisenzio Olmo Bello.
  37.13 Early Iron Age bronze pendant from Breno, Val Camonica.
  38.1 Map of Crete.
  38.2 Orientalising metalwork from the Idaean cave, Crete.
  38.3 View of Karphi, Crete.
  38.4 Terracotta figurines from Vronda, Crete.
  38.5 Protogeometric-B urn from Knossos, Crete.
  38.6 Reused Bronze Age ashlar wall in early Iron Age sanctuary at Amnisos, Crete.