The archaeology of political organisation : conceptual and methodological issues and the case of Late Minoan IA Crete
(2004)
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Details
- Authors
- Supervisors
- Driessen, Jan
- Abstract
- The study of the political institution in Late Minoan IA Crete (c. 1600/1580 - 1480 BC) has always focused on the dichotomy "state" versus "non-state". However, the study of this issue has a limited value for the interpretation of the archaeological record of Late Minoan IA Crete and does not enhance the actual description of the Late Minoan IA political institution. It is argued that more details about the structure and organisation of this institution will be known if one studies its main characteristics: centralisation, integration and stratification. Here, the presence of each of these characteristics is studied at three social levels: the individual, the community, and the inter-community. Each of these characteristics is outlined and an appropriate methodology for their study is presented which is then applied to the archaeological record of LM IA Crete. Centralisation is most extensively treated because it deals with the physical centre and spatial extension of the political institution. The archaeological remains of the LM IA settlement pattern are primarily used for this study. The discussion of central buildings for LM IA communities questions the dominant central role which Minoan court complexes ("Palaces") played in LM IA society. It is also demonstrated how different communities interact in the socio-political landscape of LM IA Crete. The possible extension of their respective political territories, resulting from this interaction, is modelled. Some of the studied communities actually seem to have developed very specific territorial strategies as a response to this continuing political interaction. Furthermore, these methods indicate that the four major court complexes are indeed to be set apart from the other communities on the island as the major components of the LM IA political landscape. The study of stratification aims to specify which individuals and groups were able to occupy positions in the political institution. Expressions of individual status were limited but an iconography of power does exist in Bronze Age Crete. There is also evidence that several, yet unidentified, groups were active in the Cretan Bronze Age society. The study of integration allows placing this information in the broader social context. Archaeological evidence suggests that a ritualised political competition was an important factor in the organisation of the political institution. A large part of this competition had a public character and most likely took place in and around the court complexes. In general, the results from this research indicate that a dynamic political institution was active in LM IA society. The strategies employed in order to effectively execute political power were flexible because political alliances and priorities apparently differed from region to region as indicated by the different territorial strategies which were present on the island. The structure and the organising principles of the political institution, however, were rather fixed and stable as was the ritualised political competition which provided access to power.
- Affiliations
Citations
Vansteenhuyse, K. (2004). The archaeology of political organisation : conceptual and methodological issues and the case of Late Minoan IA Crete. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/39109