In many regions of Europe and beyond fortifications belong to the most impressive of archaeological remains. Their study has a long tradition and today a multitude of aspects about architecture, function or symbolism has been explored. However, fortifications are generally examined in a temporally, regionally or culturally limited context. Going a step further, this volume aims to bring into focus concepts of fortifications, which can be socially, symbolically or functionally, but also chronologically and supra-regionally aligned. An important question is to determine which fortification elements are culture-specific, and which can be regarded as convergence or even universal phenomena. Adopting a comparative view, the central aim of the volume is to highlight the diversity and the structural similarities of ancient fortifications. The chronological framework goes from the Neolithic to the Late Iron Age, and the geographical scope from the Ural steppes to the Iberian Peninsula.

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• List of Contributors
• 1. Understanding Ancient Fortifications: Between Regionality and Connectivity – An Introduction: Ariane Ballmer, Manuel Fernández-Götz and Dirk Paul Mielke
• 2. Environmental and Cultural Factors in the Development of Chalcolithic Fortifications in Bulgaria: Kamen Boyadzhiev
• 3. Fortifications and Violence in the Mediterranean During the Third Millennium Cal BC: Vicente Lull, Rafael Micó, Cristina Rihuete and Roberto Risch
• 4. Pharaoh’s Mighty Walls – Egypt’s Fortification System in the Third and Second Millennium BC: Carola Vogel
• 5. Fortification Systems of the Aegean Bronze Age. The Early and Middle Bronze Age: Walter Gauss
• 6. Hittite Fortifications Between Function and Symbolism: Dirk Paul Mielke
• 7. Protecting Civilisation: Cosmological and Ideological Concepts Behind City Walls in Assyria: Simon Halama
• 8. Greek Fortifications Before the Persian Wars. An Overview: Oliver Hülden
• 9. Fortifications in and Around Rome, 950–300 BC: Albert J. Nijboer
• 10. The Iron Age Fortifications of Gabii/Latium (Italy): Sophie Helas
• 11. The Introduction of the Pfostenschlitz Concept in the Fortification Architecture of the North-West Alpine Hallstatt Circle: Ariane Ballmer
• 12. Agency in Architectural Choice: The Heuneburg Hillfort as Monument and Metaphor: Bettina Arnold and Manuel Fernández-Götz
• 13. Defences or Defenders? New Interpretations on Upright-Stone Bands in Late European Prehistory: Luis Berrocal-Rangel
• 14. The Purpose of Gallic Oppida Ramparts: A Reappraisal: Pierre Moret