Aegean Prehistory: Neolithic and Prepalatial Crete

The project "The Neolithic and Prepalatial Periods of Crete" aims at a comprehensive monographic study which will treat the Neolithic, Early Minoan and early Middle Minoan periods of Crete. These periods were characterized by important achievements in the realms of technology and of socio-political organization which eventually gave rise to the Minoan palatial culture as the first cultural climax in Europe. This important period of Crete has been last extensively described by Keith Branigan in 1988. It is true that in the meantime several reports have appeared which contain surveys of new discoveries and reports on recent research work on the Early Bronze Age. But they do not exceed the size of articles. Moreover most of them confine to single aspects of the period. This book will offer a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of the international research work which has been done during the last 30 years. It will present an updated picture of the prepalatial development of Crete as it emerges from the new evidence, and place it within the broader frame of the prehistoric Aegean developments. It will be the successor of Stefan Hillers volume on Minoan Crete in the first series of "Ägäische Frühzeit" (1977). The new book will complement Eva Alram-Sterns volumes on the Neolithic period (1996) and the Early Bronze Age (2004) in Greece both of which do not include Crete. This volume will form another part of the series "Ägäische Frühzeit". The book will contain two main sections: 1. Part: The Neolithic Period. 2. Part: The Prepalatial Period I. Bibliography 1977-2005 (after completion also available online) II. Analysis, synopsis and comprehensive description: 1) Chronology. 2) Natural resources. 3) Archaeological evidence (Architecture, tombs, figurines, pottery, stone vessels, tools, metallurgy, seals, jewellery). 4) Economy and social structure. 5) Historical implications III. The development of the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age culture in the various regions of Crete The publication will also comprise many illustrations and distribution charts. The project "The Neolithic and Prepalatial Periods of Crete" will be performed and published by Dr. Eva Alram- Stern. It is part of a major research program "Die Ägäische Frühzeit" carried out at the Mykenische Kommission of the Academy of Sciences, where Dr. Alram works as a research worker.

The project "The Neolithic and Prepalatial Periods of Crete" aims at a comprehensive monographic study which will treat the Neolithic, Early Minoan and early Middle Minoan periods of Crete. These periods were characterized by important achievements in the realms of technology and of socio-political organization which eventually gave rise to the Minoan palatial culture as the first cultural climax in Europe. This important period of Crete has been last extensively described by Keith Branigan in 1988. It is true that in the meantime several reports have appeared which contain surveys of new discoveries and reports on recent research work on the Early Bronze Age. But they do not exceed the size of articles. Moreover most of them confine to single aspects of the period. This book will offer a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of the international research work which has been done during the last 30 years. It will present an updated picture of the prepalatial development of Crete as it emerges from the new evidence, and place it within the broader frame of the prehistoric Aegean developments. It will be the successor of Stefan Hiller`s volume on Minoan Crete in the first series of "Ägäische Frühzeit" (1977). The new book will complement Eva Alram-Stern`s volumes on the Neolithic period (1996) and the Early Bronze Age (2004) in Greece both of which do not include Crete. This volume will form another part of the series "Ägäische Frühzeit". The book will contain two main sections: 1. Part: The Neolithic Period. 2. Part: The Prepalatial Period I. Bibliography 1977-2005 (after completion also available online) II. Analysis, synopsis and comprehensive description: 1) Chronology. 2) Natural resources. 3) Archaeological evidence (Architecture, tombs, figurines, pottery, stone vessels, tools, metallurgy, seals, jewellery). 4) Economy and social structure. 5) Historical implications III. The development of the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age culture in the various regions of Crete The publication will also comprise many illustrations and distribution charts. The project "The Neolithic and Prepalatial Periods of Crete" will be performed and published by Dr. Eva Alram- Stern. It is part of a major research program "Die Ägäische Frühzeit" carried out at the Mykenische Kommission of the Academy of Sciences, where Dr. Alram works as a research worker.