European agricultural terraces and lynchets

From Archaeological Theory to Heritage Management

Datos Bibliográficos

ID3918746
AutoresAntony Brown (0000-0002-1990-4654, Natural Sciences, Tromsø University Museum, Arctic University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway, autor de correspondencia), Kevin Walsh (0000-0003-1621-2625, Department of Archaeology, University of York, York, UK), Daniel Fallu (0000-0002-6717-473X, Natural Sciences, Tromsø University Museum, Arctic University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway), Sara Cucchiaro (0000-0002-8042-836X, University of Padua), Paolo Tarolli (0000-0003-0043-5226, University of Padua)
Año2020
Volumen52
Número4
Páginas566-588
Fecha de publicación2020-08-07
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaWorld Archaeology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0043-8243 • E-ISSN: 1470-1375
EditorialInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00438243.2021.1891963
PMID34556890
OpenAlexW3138704682
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas22
Referencias citadas101

Terraces are highly productive, culturally distinctive socioecological systems. Although they form part of time/place-specific debates, terraces per se have been neglected - fields on slopes or landscape elements. We argue that this is due to mapping and dating problems, and lack of artefacts/ecofacts. However, new techniques can overcome some of these constraints, allowing us to re-engage with theoretical debates around agricultural intensification. Starting from neo-Broserupian propositions, we can engage with the sociopolitical and environmental aspects of terrace emergence, maintenance and abandonment. Non-reductionist avenues include identifying and dating different phases of development within single terrace systems, identifying a full crop-range, and other activities not generally associated with terraces (e.g. metallurgy). The proposition here is that terraces are a multi-facetted investment that includes both intensification and diversification and can occur under a range of social conditions but which constitutes a response to demographic pressure in the face to fluctuating environmental conditions

Abandonment (legal · Agriculture · Archaeology · Business · Diversification (marketing strategy · Geography · Political science · Terrace (agriculture · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation · History · Land Use and Ecosystem Services