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The La Bastida fortification: new light and new questions on Early Bronze Age societies in the western Mediterranean

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 April 2015

Vicente Lull ,
Rafael Micó ,
Cristina Rihuete-Herrada  and
Roberto Risch
Vicente Lull
Affiliation:
*Department of Prehistory, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra Campus, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain (Email: [email protected]; author for correspondence)
Rafael Micó
Affiliation:
*Department of Prehistory, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra Campus, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain (Email: [email protected]; author for correspondence)
Cristina Rihuete-Herrada
Affiliation:
*Department of Prehistory, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra Campus, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain (Email: [email protected]; author for correspondence)
Roberto Risch
Affiliation:
*Department of Prehistory, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra Campus, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain (Email: [email protected]; author for correspondence)
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Extract

Recent excavations at La Bastida in south-eastern Spain have revealed an impressive stone-built fortification system dating to 2200–2100 cal BC that protected one of the main economic and political centres of Argaric Early Bronze Age society. It consists of parallel walls with projecting towers flanking a narrow entrance passage. The defensive character of these structures appears beyond question and their design suggests they were a response to significant changes in warfare and weaponry in this period. This sophisticated fortification system raises once again the question of possible Mediterranean contacts, along with social change and the role of physical violence in the rise of Argaric society.

Keywords

SpainLa BastidaArgaric Bronze Agefortificationsiege warfaremilitary technology
Type
Research
Information
Antiquity , Volume 88 , Issue 340 , 01 June 2014 , pp. 395 - 410
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd. 2014 

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