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Settlement Dynamics and Social Organization in Eastern Iberia during the Iron Age (Eighth–Second Centuries BC)
Author(s) -
Grau Mira Ignacio
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
oxford journal of archaeology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.382
H-Index - 31
eISSN - 1468-0092
pISSN - 0262-5253
DOI - 10.1111/1468-0092.00187
Subject(s) - settlement (finance) , human settlement , peninsula , iron age , archaeology , geography , politics , social organization , period (music) , economic geography , history , political science , sociology , social science , law , physics , world wide web , computer science , acoustics , payment
Summary. This paper explores the formation of urban societies in the eastern Iberian Peninsula. From the Early Iberian Iron Age onwards it is possible to trace the emergence of a hierarchical settlement pattern in which larger settlements carried out the most important functions of control and exploitation of the resources in this territory, extending their authority over several small farming villages. This settlement pattern is associated with the complex socio‐economic structures and political organization of Iberian aristocracies. In this paper we will focus on the development of the Iberians’ active role in exchanging goods with oriental traders; it is this contact which subsequently produces social change in the Iron Age period.