British and European Prehistory: Neolithic to Iron Age

This module covers British and continental European Prehistory from the Neolithic to the Late Iron Age.

It aims at an even geographic coverage, but will concentrate on subjects that have figured prominently in recent discussion. This will be a seminar-based module combined with period-specific introductory lectures. The subjects have been chosen to introduce students to some recent controversial discussions and also give them some idea of the research traditions in different parts of Europe.

We will cover the following themes:What is Europe? Differing Research Tradition; The neolithisation of Europe; Models for the introduction and uptake of farming in Europe; Secondary products revolution or transport revolution?; Mechanisms of change in Neolithic Europe; Megaliths in Europe; Genes, languages and Neolithic demography; Early metals and social structure; Metalwork, hoards and structured deposition; Priests and Warriors of the Bronze Age; Bronze Age power structures- the emergence of stratification?; From barrows to urnfields; The meaning of burial rites; Iron Age themes; Iron Age Urbanism North of the Alps?; The formation of European peoples and The formation of European peoples