Prof. Dr. Ferran Antolin Department of Environmental Sciences Profiles & Affiliations OverviewResearch Publications Publications by Type Projects & Collaborations Academic Activities Academic Self-Administration Junior Development, Doctorate and Advanced Studies Academic Reputation & Networking Teaching Bachelor/Master Projects & Collaborations OverviewResearch Publications Publications by Type Projects & Collaborations Academic Activities Academic Self-Administration Junior Development, Doctorate and Advanced Studies Academic Reputation & Networking Teaching Bachelor/Master Profiles & Affiliations Projects & Collaborations 7 foundShow per page10 10 20 50 Small seeds for large purposes: an integrated approach to agricultural change and climate during the Neolithic in Western Europe Research Project | 6 Project MembersThis project proposes an interdisciplinary approach to agricultural change and its causes during the Neolithic, particularly in connection to climate fluctuations. The study region includes the territories between the Po Valley, the High Rhine and the Ebro Valley. New research will be done in selected sites (unique in each of their regions) with optimal preservation conditions, with an emphasis on wetland sites. Integrated approaches to palaeoecology and palaeoeconomy will be performed combining archaeobotany, archaeozoology and entomology. Large databases will be produced with the available archaeobotanical data, radiocarbon dates and underground storage features in the study region. A radiocarbon dating program will be combined with carbon isotope measurements to eventually approach agricultural change from a multi-proxy perspective and reach a better understanding of agricultural decision-making among early farmers. PlantCULT Research Project | 2 Project MembersPLANTCULT: Identifying the Food Cultures of Ancient Europe A project that integrates a suite of new methods to identify Plant Food Cultures of Ancient Europe, the specific ways in which plant foods contributed to identity formation and social change in prehistoric Europe Formation and taphonomy of archaeological wetland deposits: two transdisciplinary case studies and their impact on lakeshore archaeology Research Project | 6 Project MembersFormation and taphonomy of archaeological wetland deposits: two transdisciplinary case studies and their impact on lakeshore archaeology Our research, designed as an integrated and transdiciplinary investigation right from the start, aims to develop new standards for modelling the layer formation processes of archaeological wetland deposits. To base such a model on hard facts requires new, systematically-collected and high-quality quantitative data. The timing for such a project is ideal, as scientific analyses of two lakeshore settlements - Zug-Riedmatt (since 2010; a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site (Hafner 2012) and Zürich-Opéra (since 2012) - are currently being funded by the cantons of Zug and Zürich. The sites selected offer many methodological advantages: they were excavated in 2008 and 2010 using state-of-the-art procedures and were thoroughly sampled according to our scientific specifications. Extensive initial evaluations of the deposits have highlighted the remarkable state of preservation of their organic material, which has allowed us to design a project of the highest quality. The analysis of the archaeological deposits and finds is presently being carried out and will be available on schedule. The two sites are culturally and chronologically similar (Horgen culture, last quarter of the 4th millennium BC - a well-researched temporal framework) and are located close together (35km)We can therefore confidently eliminate many uncertainties arising from chronological, cultural or geographical differences. The primary focus of the project is micro-archaeological. It consists of a closely integrated collaboration, implemented from the earliest stages of sampling, between geological, biological and archaeological disciplines (micromorphology, archaeobotanical analysis of plant macroremains, pollen analysis, archaeozoology, analysis, of structures and assemblages, dendrochronology) and examines the interplay between layer formation, preservation and degradation processes in the amphibious context of prehistoric lakeshore settlements. It is only through these integrated, transdisciplinary procedures that a meaningful basis for understanding the complex interactions between the influence of lacustrine and fluvial waters, the human and animal input, the degradation of organic materials and the taphonomic aspects of deposits can be attained. Only once such foundations are laid down, can viable conclusions about the establishment, building, organisation and daily life of Neolithic lakeshore settlements be reached. The current state of research will be assessed critically within the project's framework, rationalised and integrated into the new model. Such a systematic assessment has not as yet been developed in lakeshore settlement research. The intensive discourse promoted by the close collaboration between scientists will lead to crucial improvements in the methodological awareness of the different disciplines. The project thus offers a unique opportunity to develop fundamental research methods and formulate theoretical approaches in the scientific investigation of settlements in humid environments. Wirtschafts-, Ernährungs- und Umweltgeschichte Mitteleuropas aufgrund archäobotanischer Daten Research Project | 9 Project MembersAm IPNA laufen parallel jeweils um die 50 wissenschaftliche Projekte zur Auswertung archäobotanischen Materials von verschiedensten archäologischen Fundstellen, finanziert durch Archäologische Ämter oder Stiftungen. Für weitere Details und unsere Publikationsliste verweisen wir auf unsere website. Archäobiologische Untersuchungen Zürich Parkhaus Opéra Research Project | 10 Project MembersDuring the rescue excavations in front of the Zurich-Opera House several layers of Neolithic and Bronze Age cultural layers were excavated. Our investigation concentrates on layers 13 and 14, dating to the Horgen culture (between 3000 and 3200 BC). Beside of large animal bones we mainly investigate around 500 bulk samples from this layer for botanical and small zoological remains including insects. Goal is to get insight into layer formation processes, as well as the economy of these settlements. Until now, such a large amount of bulk samples was never analysed precisely, so, many larger plant macroremains may be underrepresented. The investigation of these samples will therefore allow us to give answers to open methodological questions. Animal bones, insect remains, botanical macro remains, pollen and lake and cultural sediments of the archaeological site of Zürich-Opéra will be investigated to reconstruct the Neolithic economy, environment and life conditions in the 2nd half of the 4th millennium BC. Archäobiologische Untersuchungen der Lehr- und Forschungsgrabung "Les Bagnoles" Dép. Vaucluse, F Research Project | 5 Project MembersDie Forschungrabung wird in enger Zusammenarbeit mit der Universität Aix-en-Provence durchgeführt. Archäologisch ist von Basler Seite die Ur- und Frühgeschichte involviert (Prof. B. Röder). Es werden Strukturen des Néolithique Moyen (ca. Mitte 5. Jt. v. Chr. bis frühes 4. Jt. v. Chr. ausgegraben). Dieser Zeitraum ist im Süden Frankreichs bisher weder archäoloisch befriedigend untersucht, noch liegen relevante archäobiologische Ergebnisse vor. Wir Schlämmen vor Ort Proben, um archäobotanisches und archäozoologisches (Kleintiere) Material zu bergen, ausserdem werden die handaufgelesenen Tierknochen bestimmt. In die Untersuchungen sind auch Studierende beteiligt (Lehrgrabung). Die Ergebnisse des Grabungsjahres 2015 förderten feucht erhaltene Brunnefüllungen zu Tage. was unseren Wissensstand zum Neolithikum in Südfrankreich verfielfachen wird. Unter anderem wird eine Bachelor-Arbeit daraus entstehen; weitere Untersuchungen sollen im Rahmen einer beantragten SNF-Förderprofessur durchgeführt werden (F. Antolin). Perception, production and consume of vegetal resources among the first farmers of the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula (5500-2700 cal BC) Research Project | 4 Project MembersThe first farmers that occupied the Northeast of the Iberian peninsula, around 5500 cal BC, show a complex relation with their environment. Such social organizations allowed the management of a wide range of domestic and wild plant resources. We consider that interaction between society and environment can only be understood by the study of the social perception of such environment, the production processes in which resources were inserted and the many different types of consume that they finally were given, among which we can mention human and animal alimentary consumption, basketry, funerary ritual consumption, personal ornamentation or building material. Around 20 sites from the area have been studied. They are dated between 5500 and 2700 cal BC, which corresponds to the Neolithic period. Among these, one should highlight some of the sites. La Draga (Banyoles, Girona) is a lake-dwelling site with waterlogged preservation where a thorough sampling strategy has been applied during the 2010 field campaign. Can Sadurní Cave (Begues, Barcelona) is a multy-layer site where nearly all the phases in the neolithic are represented. Of particular interest is the Early Neolithic funerary deposit of this cave where thousands of grains have been recovered. Finally, two important sites from the Middle Neolithic period have also been studied: Bòbila Madurell (Sant Quirze del Vallès, Barcelona) and new materials from recent excavations in the site that was called Feixa del Moro (now Camp del Colomer) in Andorra. At a methodological level, particular interest is payed in the taphonomical and palaeoeconomical analysis of the assemblages, including some temptative experimentations. Special effort has been dedicated to the identification of processing activities on the grains themselves, that is to say, pre-charring fragmentation of the grains or cracking of the grains, etc. Our final aim is to get an updated holistic view of the obtention, processing, storing and consumption of non-woody plant remains during the neolithic in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula in relation to its wider context in the Western Mediterranean area. 1 1 OverviewResearch Publications Publications by Type Projects & Collaborations Academic Activities Academic Self-Administration Junior Development, Doctorate and Advanced Studies Academic Reputation & Networking Teaching Bachelor/Master
Projects & Collaborations 7 foundShow per page10 10 20 50 Small seeds for large purposes: an integrated approach to agricultural change and climate during the Neolithic in Western Europe Research Project | 6 Project MembersThis project proposes an interdisciplinary approach to agricultural change and its causes during the Neolithic, particularly in connection to climate fluctuations. The study region includes the territories between the Po Valley, the High Rhine and the Ebro Valley. New research will be done in selected sites (unique in each of their regions) with optimal preservation conditions, with an emphasis on wetland sites. Integrated approaches to palaeoecology and palaeoeconomy will be performed combining archaeobotany, archaeozoology and entomology. Large databases will be produced with the available archaeobotanical data, radiocarbon dates and underground storage features in the study region. A radiocarbon dating program will be combined with carbon isotope measurements to eventually approach agricultural change from a multi-proxy perspective and reach a better understanding of agricultural decision-making among early farmers. PlantCULT Research Project | 2 Project MembersPLANTCULT: Identifying the Food Cultures of Ancient Europe A project that integrates a suite of new methods to identify Plant Food Cultures of Ancient Europe, the specific ways in which plant foods contributed to identity formation and social change in prehistoric Europe Formation and taphonomy of archaeological wetland deposits: two transdisciplinary case studies and their impact on lakeshore archaeology Research Project | 6 Project MembersFormation and taphonomy of archaeological wetland deposits: two transdisciplinary case studies and their impact on lakeshore archaeology Our research, designed as an integrated and transdiciplinary investigation right from the start, aims to develop new standards for modelling the layer formation processes of archaeological wetland deposits. To base such a model on hard facts requires new, systematically-collected and high-quality quantitative data. The timing for such a project is ideal, as scientific analyses of two lakeshore settlements - Zug-Riedmatt (since 2010; a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site (Hafner 2012) and Zürich-Opéra (since 2012) - are currently being funded by the cantons of Zug and Zürich. The sites selected offer many methodological advantages: they were excavated in 2008 and 2010 using state-of-the-art procedures and were thoroughly sampled according to our scientific specifications. Extensive initial evaluations of the deposits have highlighted the remarkable state of preservation of their organic material, which has allowed us to design a project of the highest quality. The analysis of the archaeological deposits and finds is presently being carried out and will be available on schedule. The two sites are culturally and chronologically similar (Horgen culture, last quarter of the 4th millennium BC - a well-researched temporal framework) and are located close together (35km)We can therefore confidently eliminate many uncertainties arising from chronological, cultural or geographical differences. The primary focus of the project is micro-archaeological. It consists of a closely integrated collaboration, implemented from the earliest stages of sampling, between geological, biological and archaeological disciplines (micromorphology, archaeobotanical analysis of plant macroremains, pollen analysis, archaeozoology, analysis, of structures and assemblages, dendrochronology) and examines the interplay between layer formation, preservation and degradation processes in the amphibious context of prehistoric lakeshore settlements. It is only through these integrated, transdisciplinary procedures that a meaningful basis for understanding the complex interactions between the influence of lacustrine and fluvial waters, the human and animal input, the degradation of organic materials and the taphonomic aspects of deposits can be attained. Only once such foundations are laid down, can viable conclusions about the establishment, building, organisation and daily life of Neolithic lakeshore settlements be reached. The current state of research will be assessed critically within the project's framework, rationalised and integrated into the new model. Such a systematic assessment has not as yet been developed in lakeshore settlement research. The intensive discourse promoted by the close collaboration between scientists will lead to crucial improvements in the methodological awareness of the different disciplines. The project thus offers a unique opportunity to develop fundamental research methods and formulate theoretical approaches in the scientific investigation of settlements in humid environments. Wirtschafts-, Ernährungs- und Umweltgeschichte Mitteleuropas aufgrund archäobotanischer Daten Research Project | 9 Project MembersAm IPNA laufen parallel jeweils um die 50 wissenschaftliche Projekte zur Auswertung archäobotanischen Materials von verschiedensten archäologischen Fundstellen, finanziert durch Archäologische Ämter oder Stiftungen. Für weitere Details und unsere Publikationsliste verweisen wir auf unsere website. Archäobiologische Untersuchungen Zürich Parkhaus Opéra Research Project | 10 Project MembersDuring the rescue excavations in front of the Zurich-Opera House several layers of Neolithic and Bronze Age cultural layers were excavated. Our investigation concentrates on layers 13 and 14, dating to the Horgen culture (between 3000 and 3200 BC). Beside of large animal bones we mainly investigate around 500 bulk samples from this layer for botanical and small zoological remains including insects. Goal is to get insight into layer formation processes, as well as the economy of these settlements. Until now, such a large amount of bulk samples was never analysed precisely, so, many larger plant macroremains may be underrepresented. The investigation of these samples will therefore allow us to give answers to open methodological questions. Animal bones, insect remains, botanical macro remains, pollen and lake and cultural sediments of the archaeological site of Zürich-Opéra will be investigated to reconstruct the Neolithic economy, environment and life conditions in the 2nd half of the 4th millennium BC. Archäobiologische Untersuchungen der Lehr- und Forschungsgrabung "Les Bagnoles" Dép. Vaucluse, F Research Project | 5 Project MembersDie Forschungrabung wird in enger Zusammenarbeit mit der Universität Aix-en-Provence durchgeführt. Archäologisch ist von Basler Seite die Ur- und Frühgeschichte involviert (Prof. B. Röder). Es werden Strukturen des Néolithique Moyen (ca. Mitte 5. Jt. v. Chr. bis frühes 4. Jt. v. Chr. ausgegraben). Dieser Zeitraum ist im Süden Frankreichs bisher weder archäoloisch befriedigend untersucht, noch liegen relevante archäobiologische Ergebnisse vor. Wir Schlämmen vor Ort Proben, um archäobotanisches und archäozoologisches (Kleintiere) Material zu bergen, ausserdem werden die handaufgelesenen Tierknochen bestimmt. In die Untersuchungen sind auch Studierende beteiligt (Lehrgrabung). Die Ergebnisse des Grabungsjahres 2015 förderten feucht erhaltene Brunnefüllungen zu Tage. was unseren Wissensstand zum Neolithikum in Südfrankreich verfielfachen wird. Unter anderem wird eine Bachelor-Arbeit daraus entstehen; weitere Untersuchungen sollen im Rahmen einer beantragten SNF-Förderprofessur durchgeführt werden (F. Antolin). Perception, production and consume of vegetal resources among the first farmers of the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula (5500-2700 cal BC) Research Project | 4 Project MembersThe first farmers that occupied the Northeast of the Iberian peninsula, around 5500 cal BC, show a complex relation with their environment. Such social organizations allowed the management of a wide range of domestic and wild plant resources. We consider that interaction between society and environment can only be understood by the study of the social perception of such environment, the production processes in which resources were inserted and the many different types of consume that they finally were given, among which we can mention human and animal alimentary consumption, basketry, funerary ritual consumption, personal ornamentation or building material. Around 20 sites from the area have been studied. They are dated between 5500 and 2700 cal BC, which corresponds to the Neolithic period. Among these, one should highlight some of the sites. La Draga (Banyoles, Girona) is a lake-dwelling site with waterlogged preservation where a thorough sampling strategy has been applied during the 2010 field campaign. Can Sadurní Cave (Begues, Barcelona) is a multy-layer site where nearly all the phases in the neolithic are represented. Of particular interest is the Early Neolithic funerary deposit of this cave where thousands of grains have been recovered. Finally, two important sites from the Middle Neolithic period have also been studied: Bòbila Madurell (Sant Quirze del Vallès, Barcelona) and new materials from recent excavations in the site that was called Feixa del Moro (now Camp del Colomer) in Andorra. At a methodological level, particular interest is payed in the taphonomical and palaeoeconomical analysis of the assemblages, including some temptative experimentations. Special effort has been dedicated to the identification of processing activities on the grains themselves, that is to say, pre-charring fragmentation of the grains or cracking of the grains, etc. Our final aim is to get an updated holistic view of the obtention, processing, storing and consumption of non-woody plant remains during the neolithic in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula in relation to its wider context in the Western Mediterranean area. 1 1
Small seeds for large purposes: an integrated approach to agricultural change and climate during the Neolithic in Western Europe Research Project | 6 Project MembersThis project proposes an interdisciplinary approach to agricultural change and its causes during the Neolithic, particularly in connection to climate fluctuations. The study region includes the territories between the Po Valley, the High Rhine and the Ebro Valley. New research will be done in selected sites (unique in each of their regions) with optimal preservation conditions, with an emphasis on wetland sites. Integrated approaches to palaeoecology and palaeoeconomy will be performed combining archaeobotany, archaeozoology and entomology. Large databases will be produced with the available archaeobotanical data, radiocarbon dates and underground storage features in the study region. A radiocarbon dating program will be combined with carbon isotope measurements to eventually approach agricultural change from a multi-proxy perspective and reach a better understanding of agricultural decision-making among early farmers.
PlantCULT Research Project | 2 Project MembersPLANTCULT: Identifying the Food Cultures of Ancient Europe A project that integrates a suite of new methods to identify Plant Food Cultures of Ancient Europe, the specific ways in which plant foods contributed to identity formation and social change in prehistoric Europe
Formation and taphonomy of archaeological wetland deposits: two transdisciplinary case studies and their impact on lakeshore archaeology Research Project | 6 Project MembersFormation and taphonomy of archaeological wetland deposits: two transdisciplinary case studies and their impact on lakeshore archaeology Our research, designed as an integrated and transdiciplinary investigation right from the start, aims to develop new standards for modelling the layer formation processes of archaeological wetland deposits. To base such a model on hard facts requires new, systematically-collected and high-quality quantitative data. The timing for such a project is ideal, as scientific analyses of two lakeshore settlements - Zug-Riedmatt (since 2010; a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site (Hafner 2012) and Zürich-Opéra (since 2012) - are currently being funded by the cantons of Zug and Zürich. The sites selected offer many methodological advantages: they were excavated in 2008 and 2010 using state-of-the-art procedures and were thoroughly sampled according to our scientific specifications. Extensive initial evaluations of the deposits have highlighted the remarkable state of preservation of their organic material, which has allowed us to design a project of the highest quality. The analysis of the archaeological deposits and finds is presently being carried out and will be available on schedule. The two sites are culturally and chronologically similar (Horgen culture, last quarter of the 4th millennium BC - a well-researched temporal framework) and are located close together (35km)We can therefore confidently eliminate many uncertainties arising from chronological, cultural or geographical differences. The primary focus of the project is micro-archaeological. It consists of a closely integrated collaboration, implemented from the earliest stages of sampling, between geological, biological and archaeological disciplines (micromorphology, archaeobotanical analysis of plant macroremains, pollen analysis, archaeozoology, analysis, of structures and assemblages, dendrochronology) and examines the interplay between layer formation, preservation and degradation processes in the amphibious context of prehistoric lakeshore settlements. It is only through these integrated, transdisciplinary procedures that a meaningful basis for understanding the complex interactions between the influence of lacustrine and fluvial waters, the human and animal input, the degradation of organic materials and the taphonomic aspects of deposits can be attained. Only once such foundations are laid down, can viable conclusions about the establishment, building, organisation and daily life of Neolithic lakeshore settlements be reached. The current state of research will be assessed critically within the project's framework, rationalised and integrated into the new model. Such a systematic assessment has not as yet been developed in lakeshore settlement research. The intensive discourse promoted by the close collaboration between scientists will lead to crucial improvements in the methodological awareness of the different disciplines. The project thus offers a unique opportunity to develop fundamental research methods and formulate theoretical approaches in the scientific investigation of settlements in humid environments.
Wirtschafts-, Ernährungs- und Umweltgeschichte Mitteleuropas aufgrund archäobotanischer Daten Research Project | 9 Project MembersAm IPNA laufen parallel jeweils um die 50 wissenschaftliche Projekte zur Auswertung archäobotanischen Materials von verschiedensten archäologischen Fundstellen, finanziert durch Archäologische Ämter oder Stiftungen. Für weitere Details und unsere Publikationsliste verweisen wir auf unsere website.
Archäobiologische Untersuchungen Zürich Parkhaus Opéra Research Project | 10 Project MembersDuring the rescue excavations in front of the Zurich-Opera House several layers of Neolithic and Bronze Age cultural layers were excavated. Our investigation concentrates on layers 13 and 14, dating to the Horgen culture (between 3000 and 3200 BC). Beside of large animal bones we mainly investigate around 500 bulk samples from this layer for botanical and small zoological remains including insects. Goal is to get insight into layer formation processes, as well as the economy of these settlements. Until now, such a large amount of bulk samples was never analysed precisely, so, many larger plant macroremains may be underrepresented. The investigation of these samples will therefore allow us to give answers to open methodological questions. Animal bones, insect remains, botanical macro remains, pollen and lake and cultural sediments of the archaeological site of Zürich-Opéra will be investigated to reconstruct the Neolithic economy, environment and life conditions in the 2nd half of the 4th millennium BC.
Archäobiologische Untersuchungen der Lehr- und Forschungsgrabung "Les Bagnoles" Dép. Vaucluse, F Research Project | 5 Project MembersDie Forschungrabung wird in enger Zusammenarbeit mit der Universität Aix-en-Provence durchgeführt. Archäologisch ist von Basler Seite die Ur- und Frühgeschichte involviert (Prof. B. Röder). Es werden Strukturen des Néolithique Moyen (ca. Mitte 5. Jt. v. Chr. bis frühes 4. Jt. v. Chr. ausgegraben). Dieser Zeitraum ist im Süden Frankreichs bisher weder archäoloisch befriedigend untersucht, noch liegen relevante archäobiologische Ergebnisse vor. Wir Schlämmen vor Ort Proben, um archäobotanisches und archäozoologisches (Kleintiere) Material zu bergen, ausserdem werden die handaufgelesenen Tierknochen bestimmt. In die Untersuchungen sind auch Studierende beteiligt (Lehrgrabung). Die Ergebnisse des Grabungsjahres 2015 förderten feucht erhaltene Brunnefüllungen zu Tage. was unseren Wissensstand zum Neolithikum in Südfrankreich verfielfachen wird. Unter anderem wird eine Bachelor-Arbeit daraus entstehen; weitere Untersuchungen sollen im Rahmen einer beantragten SNF-Förderprofessur durchgeführt werden (F. Antolin).
Perception, production and consume of vegetal resources among the first farmers of the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula (5500-2700 cal BC) Research Project | 4 Project MembersThe first farmers that occupied the Northeast of the Iberian peninsula, around 5500 cal BC, show a complex relation with their environment. Such social organizations allowed the management of a wide range of domestic and wild plant resources. We consider that interaction between society and environment can only be understood by the study of the social perception of such environment, the production processes in which resources were inserted and the many different types of consume that they finally were given, among which we can mention human and animal alimentary consumption, basketry, funerary ritual consumption, personal ornamentation or building material. Around 20 sites from the area have been studied. They are dated between 5500 and 2700 cal BC, which corresponds to the Neolithic period. Among these, one should highlight some of the sites. La Draga (Banyoles, Girona) is a lake-dwelling site with waterlogged preservation where a thorough sampling strategy has been applied during the 2010 field campaign. Can Sadurní Cave (Begues, Barcelona) is a multy-layer site where nearly all the phases in the neolithic are represented. Of particular interest is the Early Neolithic funerary deposit of this cave where thousands of grains have been recovered. Finally, two important sites from the Middle Neolithic period have also been studied: Bòbila Madurell (Sant Quirze del Vallès, Barcelona) and new materials from recent excavations in the site that was called Feixa del Moro (now Camp del Colomer) in Andorra. At a methodological level, particular interest is payed in the taphonomical and palaeoeconomical analysis of the assemblages, including some temptative experimentations. Special effort has been dedicated to the identification of processing activities on the grains themselves, that is to say, pre-charring fragmentation of the grains or cracking of the grains, etc. Our final aim is to get an updated holistic view of the obtention, processing, storing and consumption of non-woody plant remains during the neolithic in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula in relation to its wider context in the Western Mediterranean area.
