| Unit name | Social And Material transformations in Neolithic and Bronze Age Britain and Ireland, c.5000-800 BC |
|---|---|
| Unit code | ARCH25023 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Prior |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Department of Anthropology and Archaeology |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
This unit examines a series of major transformations in the landscapes and communities of Britain and Ireland c.5000-800 BC. The $�beginnings of agriculture&� in the Neolithic, marks a shift away from gatherer-hunter-fisher communities and witnesses the introduction of new forms of material culture and materiality, such as the development of monuments, alongside changes in the landscape inhabitation and the development of wider social connections - driven perhaps by a series of ideological transformations as well as material changes. In the late Neolithic and early Bronze Age, the development of metalwork saw further material and ideological changes, whilst the middle and late Bronze Age may arguably have the first convincing evidence for permanently occupied settlements and extensive field systems. Topics covered will include: the nature of the Mesolithic/Neolithic transition; regional traditions; the role and importance of arable agriculture and animal husbandry; diversity in ideology and $�ritual&� practices; and interpretive approaches to monumentality, landscape inhabitation and changing material culture.
