Chronology, Cultural Transfer and Networks in the Central Alps. New examples and case studies from the inner alpine area in Switzerland and Liechtenstein

Brunner, Mirco (27 July 2018). Chronology, Cultural Transfer and Networks in the Central Alps. New examples and case studies from the inner alpine area in Switzerland and Liechtenstein (Unpublished). In: SiSA: Swiss International Summer School. Alp Flix. 22-28. July.

Chronology, cultural transfer and networks in the central Alps. New examples and case studies from the inner alpine area in Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
The Alps in southern Central Europe act as a barrier and communication space at the same time. While the mountains prevent mobility, the valleys and passes create natural axes for material exchange and communication. The Alpenrhein valley forms the main access to the central Alps and leads directly into the south alpine area between the Lake Maggiore and the Lake Como. In prehistoric times this central axis was used as a settlement area and formed an excellent alpine transit route. Already Neolithic finds show evidence of exchange and communication between inner alpine and pre-alpine regions. These exchanges can be traced through the pottery styles. From the beginning of the Bronze Age clear influences from the northern and southern regions are noticeably in favour of trade routes across the alpine passes. Between 3000-2500 BC the region is subject to massive changes which cause a push effect towards marginal, less densely populated areas. The broad range of local resources in new territories and strategically well-controlled areas suggest simultaneously a pull effect towards the Alps. Therefore, Bronze Age is the period for which the most intense prehistoric land expansion can be postulated in the Alps. Traditional approaches in Swiss archaeology draw borders on "Bronze Age cultures" on the basis of stylistic characteristics of ceramics differ from each other. Constructs like the "Inner Bronze Age culture” (Eastern Switzerland)" or the "Rohne culture" (Western Switzerland) are more to be seen as pottery traditions than cultures. "Foreign influences" (imports, imitations, acquisitions, new creations) also refer to a cultural transfer between social groups in space and time.
The Neolithic and Bronze Age chronology for the inner alpine area was always based on comparisons of the material culture from the Swiss Plateau and southern Germany. Until a few years ago there existed only a couple of old radiocarbon dates in this region. New radiocarbon dates from different sites such as graves and settlements give us the opportunity to get a clearer view on the absolute dating of the sites from this area. With the SNF-Project: Chronologie, Mobilität und Kulturtransfer am Beispiel einer inneralpinen Siedlungslandschaft. Eine landschaftsarchäologische Untersuchung des zentralen Alpenraums“ we were able to generate new samples for Radiocarbon dates from Sites such as Lutzengüetle, Donath, Sursés, Laax-Salums and Savognin, Padnal.
I am going to present an overview of the situation and a revised chronology of the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age sites from the inner alpine area and recommend a radiocarbon-based view and a on the development of the material culture. The second aim is to suggest possible models of mobility and cultural transfer in the central Alps.

Interest & Impact

Downloads

7 since deposited on 13 Aug 2018
0 in the past 12 months

Citations

5 Citations in Web of Science ®
6 Citations in Scopus

Search

in Google Scholar™

Services

Actions (login required)

Edit item

Actions (login required)

Edit item