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Approaching the East Aegean and West Anatolian Interface through Metal Finds

Publication at Faculty of Arts |
2018

Abstract

This paper focuses on the area of the so-called East Aegean-West Anatolian Interface in the 2nd millennium BCE. On the basis of Mycenaean decorated pottery, using also some evidence from settlements and funerary activities, p.a.

Mountjoy made clear that the territory differed from the contemporary centers such as Crete, the Greek Mainland and Central Anatolia. It was also argued the Interface itself could be further subdivided into the Upper and Lower one.

This work aims to approach the Interface as an entity of its own, based on a closer typological assessment of the known bronze finds. I will touch upon the question of how different/unique they are, but also what was their meaning in the wide spectrum of life, and finally, what they can tell us about the Interface itself and its relations to the surrounding regions.

An important aspect is also the fact that whereas in the Lower Interface most finds come from burial contexts, the Upper part did not yield that many cemeteries so far and most finds are known from settlements. The scientific discourse on the Interface has principally moved from the concept of "Minoan" and "Mycenaean" colonies towards the local communities emulating various trends in the Aegean, and actively approaching the incoming stimuli.

It will be along the latter trend that the paper will interpret the evidence of the metal finds in the area, as well.