Axe as landscape technology : How did it transform societies and landscapes?
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2019 |
| Type | Article in Proceedings |
| Conference | Habitus? The Social Dimension of Technology and Transformation |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Web | fulltext of the book |
| Keywords | landscape archaeology; technology; Neolithic; Copper Age; axe; warfare |
| Description | The paper discusses the relationship between landscapes, technologies and societies. Social archaeology often studies artefacts and their social significance, whereas landscape archaeology and palaeoecology focus on the economic potential of landscapes and vegetation cover. With the help of the concept of landscape technologies and the example of Neolithic axes and adzes, the paper stresses that these artefacts were two of the most important innovations in human history, through which the ability of landscape modification was symbolized in ritual depositions, burial rite and supraregional interactions. Therefore the knowledge of the social significance and environmental impact of this technology is crucial for many disciplines. |