The present volume provides a much needed contribution to island
archaeology by examining the characteristics of the initial occupation
of the Mediterranean islands. It enhances our understanding of the
mechanisms, strategies, cultural contingencies and social alliances that
enabled the consolidation of a permanent human presence in these
settings. Particular attention is given to small islands, which can
present increased demands on people to adapt and survive due to their
more marginal environments, and on islands where recent research has led
to a reassessment of the date and character of initial occupation. The
research presented draws on examples from Cyprus, the Cyclades, the
Adriatic, the Aeolian islands, and Malta, together with overviews of the
Mediterranean and in comparison to Oceania. The volume throws into
relief the multi-layered and multi-dimensional theatre provided by the
Mediterranean, drawing attention to the complexities of island
occupation. The notion of fluid group identities created through
practice in the 'small worlds' of the Neolithic highlights the necessity
for an emphasis on the process of occupation and consolidation of island
inhabitation. This volume will provide new perspectives and challenges
for island colonisation both in the Mediterranean and further afield,
the Neolithic period, and the development of archaeological theory.
Nellie Phoca-Cosmetatou is a lecturer at the Department of Archaeology
and Anthropology, University of Cambridge.
