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Pecla 2017. Resources. Power and connectivity in the ancient Mediterranean

Publication

Abstract

The annual postgraduate conference on Classical Archaeology and Classics took place on December 11th-12th 2017, organised by S. Kučová, J.

Musil, P. Pavúk, J.

Souček, and M. Verčík.

The theme of this year's conference was Resources: Power and Connectivity in the Ancient Mediterranean. The keynote lecture was delivered by prof.

Dr. Barbara Horejs (Institute for Oriental and European Archeology, Vienna).

Speaking of resources one usually thinks directly of the copper ingots on the Uluburun shipwreck or the grain from Egypt in the later periods. However, the range of resources being traded and consumed by the ancient Mediterranean societies was much broader than that.

It encompassed not only the omnipresent metals and other raw materials, such as stones, minerals, clay or agricultural products, but also ready-made tools or even human power and the related transfer of knowledge and technologies. Therefore, the primary aim of the conference was to identify all the possible facets of the catch-all term 'Resources', from Prehistory to Late Antiquity.

A diachronic approach in environmental archaeology and resource procurement strategies can offer results in shifting networks and economic background.