Marko Mele | Karl-Franzens-University of Graz (original) (raw)

Papers by Marko Mele

https://www.iron-age-danube.eu/, 2019

The Iron-Age-Danube project (Monumentalized early iron age landscapes in the Danube river basin),... more The Iron-Age-Danube project (Monumentalized early iron age landscapes in the Danube river basin), co-financed by the Interreg Danube Transnational programme, is focused on the research, protection and sustainable touristic use of the archaeological heritage from the Early Iron Age in the Danube region. In the frame of the project two strategies, one on research and heritage protection and other on heritage promotion and touristic usage of archaeological landscapes, have been adopted. The strategies are combining a bottom-up analytical approach by incorporating the SWOT analysis from the eight micro-regions in four countries with a to-down approach by integrating the recommendations of the European Cultural Heritage Strategy for the 21st century (Strategy 21). The analysis showed 24 major challenges faced by the Iron-Age heritage, which can be tackled by 12 recommendations in the field of research and monument protection and 9 recommendations in the field of sustainable cultural tourism, divided to the S-D-K components introduced in the Strategy 21 and a newly established location component. Additionally, concrete courses of actions for stakeholders are listed, which enable practical implementation of recommendations. The strategies are accompanied by four national action plans for their implementation in Austria, Croatia, Hungary and Slovenia.

SONDERDRUCK MONOGRAPHIEN DES RGZM Band 154, 2019

The Negova Helmets from Ženjak (Schöniagg) in the Slovenske Gorice – New Insight on an Old Depot ... more The Negova Helmets from Ženjak (Schöniagg) in the Slovenske Gorice – New Insight on an Old Depot Find

The Universalmuseum Joanneum and international partners ran the cross-border project »InterArch-Steiermark« (www.interarch-steiermark.eu) from 2011 to 2014, which led to new research on the depot from Ženjak (Negova). The article presents for the first time new results from archival research, archaeometallurgical analysis and the analysis of the surroundings of the supposed place of discovery. Archival research has revealed with high certainty that twelve helmets in Vienna, five helmets in Graz and a helmet in Ljubljana must now be assigned to the helmet depot of Ženjak. The composition of the hoard of 18 helmets sketches a typologically consistent appearance with a clear area of origin in the south-east Alpine area and the complete development of the helmet type in the eastern Alps. The archaeometallurgical analyses show that the production of this type of helmet followed a common technological tradition. One of the helmets even allowed the detailed examination of an antique repair by overflow casting on its crest. Despite the sparse population of the area around Benedikt in the late Hallstatt period, the actual place of discovery on the main connecting route between Gornja Radgona and Lenart, and thus between the Mur and Drava valleys, does not seem to be so unlikely for the deposition of such a hoard.

Na najdišču Hajndl, v neposredni bližini mesta Ormož, ki leži v severovzhodni Sloveniji, so v let... more Na najdišču Hajndl, v neposredni bližini mesta Ormož, ki leži v severovzhodni Sloveniji, so v letih 1999 in 2000 potekala arheološka izkopavanja v okviru projekta gradnje hitre ceste Ormož-Ptuj. V članku predstavljamo hišo iz časa starejše železne dobe, ki je bila odkrita pri arheoloških izkopavanjih, in nove rezultate geofizikalne prospekcije, ki smo jo izvedli v letu 2004 v neposredni bližini arheoloških izkopavanj. Pri naši raziskavi smo primerjali rezultate magnetne metode, geoelektrične upornostne metode in georadarske metode z rezultati izkopavanj. At the archaeological site of Hajndl in the immediate vicinity of the town Ormož, north-eastern Slovenia, rescue archaeological excavations were conducted in 1999 and 2000 in the course of high-way construction between Ormož and Ptuj. In the following article, a house dated to the Early Iron Age, which was discovered during these archaeological excavations, is presented together with some results of the geophysical exploration which...

Books by Marko Mele

Strategy, 2021

Virtual archaeological landscapes of the Danube region (Danube´s Archaeological eLandscapes) is a... more Virtual archaeological landscapes of the Danube region (Danube´s Archaeological eLandscapes) is a project co-financed by the Interreg Danube Transnational programme. The project´s major goal is to regionally, nationally and internationally increase the visibility of the cultural heritage, and in particular the archaeological landscapes of the Danube region, making them more attractive for an integration into the region’s tourism offers. In order to achieve this goal, new technologies are employed throughout the project.
Within the framework of the project, a strategy has been adopted by the partners from 10 countries of the Danube region. The strategy approaches the topic of archaeological heritage from an archaeological, social and a technological standpoint. By using SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analyses conducted by the
working groups, major challenges in the sector were defined, leading to two main strategy units. The first unit focuses on working processes from the archaeological discovery to a virtual visualisation, and the second on the potential of archaeological heritage in the digital world. To support the
further adaptation and development of new technologies for the archaeological sector, the strategy concludes with 12 recommendations for heritage stakeholders. Priority lists are adopted for the implementation of the recommendations at national level for each participating country.

Rastline – živali – ljudje skozi tisočletja / Pflanzen – Tiere – Menschen durch die Jahrtausende, 2019

Arheologija, arheobotanika, kulinarika in obrt od prazgodovine do odkritja Novega sveta v povezav... more Arheologija, arheobotanika, kulinarika in obrt od prazgodovine do odkritja Novega sveta v povezavi s kulturnim turizmom avstrijske Štajerske in severovzhodne Slovenije. / Archäologie, Archäobotanik, Küche und Kunsthandwerk von der Vorgeschichte bis zur Entdeckung der Neuen Welt im Zusammenhang mit dem Kulturtourismus in der Steiermark und im Nordosten Sloweniens.

Arheološka dediščina je neskončen vir znanja in navdiha. To velja tudi za arheološke sledove razvoja kmetijstva in kulturne krajine med kameno dobo in koncem srednjega veka, ki so bili pod drobnogledom večletnega čezmejnega projekta PalaeoDiversiStyria – paleokrajina Štajerske in njena biodiverziteta od prazgodovine do odkritja Novega sveta. Ob kratki predstavitvi projekta sledi predstavitev nekaterih pomembnejših najdišč projektnega območja, ki časovno segajo od mlajše kamene oz. bakrene dobe do srednjega veka in v veliki meri vključujejo tudi rezultate analiz rastlinskih in/ali živalskih ostankov. A sledi še pomembnejši in zanimivejši (ter okusnejši) del pričujoče publikacije. V poglavju "Živa arheologija" so najprej predstavljene številne rastline, ki so bile na projektnem območju odkrite pri arheoloških izkopavanjih, nato pa so jih prepoznali paleobotaniki. Pod naslovom "Okusna in uporabna arheologija" pa se skriva tisto, kar je pri tem projektu pomembna novost. Arheološko dediščino smo poskušali prenesti v sedanjost in prihodnost ter jo narediti uporabno, otipljivo, dišečo in okusno. Čakajo vas torej jedi, pijače in drugi izdelki, ki jih je navdihnila arheologija. Ker knjiga prinaša tudi recepte, se na primer lahko v pripravi jedi preizkusite sami ali pa se odpravite do katerega izmed ponudnikov v Avstriji ali Sloveniji in se pustite razvajati z okusi preteklosti. Lahko pa si pri njih priskrbite sestavine in končne izdelke, ki imajo svoj izvor v arheoloških dognanjih in so zato označeni z znakom blagovne znamke HERITERRA.
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Das archäologische Erbe ist eine unendliche Quelle des Wissens und der Inspiration. Dies gilt auch für archäologische Spuren der Entwicklung der Landwirtschaft und der Kulturlandschaft zwischen der Steinzeit und dem Ende des Mittelalters, die im Rahmen des mehrjährigen grenzüberschreitenden Projekts PalaeoDiversiStyria – Paläolandschaft der Steiermark und ihre Biodiversität von der Urgeschichte bis zu Entdeckung der Neuen Welt. Einige der Ergebnisse dieses Projekts werden in der vorliegenden Publikation zusammengefasst. Nach einer kurzen Vorstellung des Projekts werden einige der wichtigsten Fundorte des Projektgebietes, die sich über den Zeitraum von der jüngeren Steinzeit bzw. von der Kupferzeit bis zum Mittelalter erstrecken, und zu einem großen Teil auch die Ergebnisse von Analysen der Pflanzen- und/oder Tierreste vorgestellt. Aber der wichtigere und interessantere (und schmackhaftere) Teil dieser Veröffentlichung ist wohl folgender: Im Kapitel „Lebende Archäologie“ werden zunächst die zahlreichen Pflanzen vorgestellt, die bei archäologischen Ausgrabungen im Projektgebiet entdeckt und anschließend von Paläobotanikern/innen identifiziert wurden. Unter dem Titel „Geschmackvolle und nützliche Archäologie“ versteckt sich eine wichtige Innovation in unserem Projekt. Wir haben versucht, das archäologische Erbe auf die Gegenwart und die Zukunft zu übertragen und es nützlich, greifbar, duftend und lecker zu machen. Hier kann man von der Archäologie inspirierte Speisen, Getränke und andere Produkte finden. Da das Buch auch Rezepte enthält, können Sie selbst versuchen, die Gerichte zuzubereiten – oder Sie können zu einem unserer Anbieter in Österreich oder Slowenien gehen und dort die Aromen und Geschmackserlebnisse der Vergangenheit genießen. Sie erhalten dort auch Zutaten und Fertigprodukte, die ihren Ursprung in archäologischen Erkenntnissen haben und mit der Marke HERITERRA gekennzeichnet sind.

Plants–Animals–People. Lively archaeological landscapes of Styria and Northeastern Slovenia/Pflanzen–Tiere–Menschen. Lebendige archäologische Landschaften der Steiermark und Nordostslowenien Slowenien/Rastline–živali–ljudje. Žive arheološke krajine avstrijske Štajerske in severovzhodne Slovenije, Dec 2019

In the focus of this monographic publication are the cultural landscapes of Austrian Styria and n... more In the focus of this monographic publication are the cultural landscapes of Austrian Styria and north-eastern Slovenia and the changes that occurred since the introduction of farming. It includes archaeologically, archaeobotanically and archaeozoologically analyzed and collected data from numerous archaeological sites, stretching from the Late Neolithic period to the end of the Middle Ages. The selected case studies in this book are some of the most representative sites for individual epochs. Furthermore, the publication is closely connected to the database of the PalaeoDiversiStyria project (www.interarch-steiermark.eu), which is containing raw data on plant and animal remains from numerous archaeological sites in this region.
Special attention was given to the changes in the landscape caused by human intervention into the environment, e.g. by the cultivation of new plants and the domestication of animals, by the building of larger settlements or metal production. Part of the research included the discovery and identification of different plant species as well as domesticated and wild animals in archaeological contexts. To reach these results it was necessary that archaeologists, botanists, archaeobotanists as well as archaeozoologists worked hand in hand to create a better understanding of the interaction between nature and humans. With this interdisciplinary cooperation, we built new knowledge of the circumstances that influenced the dietary habits of people in the past.
The publication is one of the results of the interdisciplinary “PalaeoDiversiStyria” project, with the full name “Palaeolandscape of Styria and its Biodiversity from Prehistory to the Discovery of the New World”. It was a partnership between Universalmuseum Joanneum, the Institute for Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia, two botanical gardens led by the Universities of Maribor and of Graz, and two Municipalities, Grosklein in Austria and Hoče-Slivnica in Slovenia. The project was co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) in the framework of the INTERREG Slovenia-Austria V-A 2014-2020 cooperation programme.

by Matija Črešnar, Marko Mele, Anja Hellmuth Kramberger, Daniel Modl, Marta Rakvin, Sasa Kovacevic, Dimitrij Mlekuz Vrhovnik, Zoltán Czajlik, Eszter Fejér, Novinszki-Groma Katalin, László Rupnik, András Bödőcs, and Bence Soós

Early Iron Age Landscapes of the Danube region, 2019

The present publication is one of the main outcomes of the Iron-Age-Danube project (Interreg DTP)... more The present publication is one of the main outcomes of the Iron-Age-Danube project (Interreg DTP). In the focus of the project, as well as of the presented papers are archaeological landscapes and their visible as well as hidden monuments of the Early Iron Age. The published research took place in four countries (Austria, Croatia, Hungary and Slovenia) and focused on some of the most iconic sites of the Eastern Hallstatt circle, namely Großklein and Strettweg near Judenburg in Austria, on Jalžabet and Kaptol in Croatia, on Százhalombatta, Süttő and Sopron in Hungary and on Poštela and Dolenjske Toplice in Slovenia.
The studies have a broad span in their interpretative approaches; however, they all bring important new results on the Early Iron Age landscapes of the Danube region and present a fundament for further research of archaeological landscapes in the region and beyond.

The Iron-Age-Danube project — its full title is “Monumental Landscapes of the Early Iron Age in the Danube Basin” — was initiated in 2017 by 20 partners and associated partners from five countries in the Danube region. The project was co-financed within the framework of the Interreg Danube Transnational Programme with EFRE funds in the amount of € 2,169,200. One of the major focuses of the project was the exploration of the rich archaeological heritage of the Early Iron Age (i.e. Hallstatt Period) in the Danube region using modern archaeological methods. For that purpose, a new format, the Archaeological Camps, was introduced to the region. This format for the first time combined various types of activities and comprised, in addition to research campaigns, a wide variety of heritage protection activities as well as actions to promote the inclusion of Iron-Age landscapes into the touristic offers of these regions. The camps were organized in four countries at selected locations within the nine preselected micro-regions and lasted one or two months. In this period, the institutions involved had the opportunity to combine their technologies, methodologies and expertise as well as to exchange their experiences and views. These chosen sites and their surrounding landscapes are embedded in a variety of environments of the Danube region, which in fact had a strong impact on the populations settling in these areas in the Early Iron Age, as well as on the archaeological research approaches. Combining their knowledge and specific skills, the experts have in this intensive cooperation established new strategies, which are tailored to each of the micro-regions. One of the results of this cooperation is also the monograph Researching Archaeological Landscapes across Borders (Budapest: Archaeolingua, 2019), which should help other researchers and heritage experts with planning their projects on archaeological landscapes.

Articles by Marko Mele

Early Iron Age Landscapes of the Danube region, 2019

The micro-region of Großklein with its famous Sulm valley necropolis, the princely tumuli in Klei... more The micro-region of Großklein with its famous Sulm valley necropolis, the princely tumuli
in Kleinklein and the hilltop settlement on Burgstallkogel is one of the most prominent
European Early Iron Age landscapes. It has been in the focus of researchers since the end
of the 19th century and still is today. In 2017, the EU-project Iron-Age-Danube enabled
researchers from the Universalmuseum Joanneum to focus intensively on the region again.
New methods, such as the systematic evaluation of ALS data and extensive geophysics,
were used in addition to archaeological excavations. The focus of the research was not on
the main settlement and the tumulus cemeteries around Burgstallkogel, but also only on
other important points in the micro-region that showed potential for human activities in the
Early Iron Age, as for example the settlement at Königsberg near Heimschuh. The new data
enabled us to do extensive mapping and a discussion on settlement dynamics of the Sulm
valley, also from the viewpoint of the Central Place Theory.

https://www.iron-age-danube.eu/, 2019

SONDERDRUCK MONOGRAPHIEN DES RGZM Band 154, 2019

Strategy, 2021

Rastline – živali – ljudje skozi tisočletja / Pflanzen – Tiere – Menschen durch die Jahrtausende, 2019

Early Iron Age Landscapes of the Danube region, 2019

in: Universalmuseum Joanneum GmbH, Archäologie & Münzkabinett (Hrsg.), V novi luči / Ans Licht gebracht (Graz 2013) 32–37, 2013

SAD Arheologija v letu 2017, 7th March 2018, Ljubljana In recent decades, research has increasi... more SAD Arheologija v letu 2017, 7th March 2018, Ljubljana

In recent decades, research has increasingly shifted from the extensive study of selected sites to the contemplation of prehistoric cultural landscapes. The legacies of human activities in the form of settlements, burial grounds, communication routes, mining areas, etc. are assessed in their direct relationship to each other and in terms of space, time and environment. As part of the EU project "Iron-Age-Danube", which deals with the exploration, protection and promotion of Iron Age cultural landscapes, the Universalmuseum Joanneum, department of Archaeology and Coin Cabinet, conducted 2017 in the frame of the international “Archaeology-Camp Austria 2017” archaeological researches in the micro-region of Großklein in Styria.
The micro-region of Großklein is determined by the two rivers Sulm, a right tributary of the Mur, and Saggau and is known in particular by the vast Sulmtal-necropolis below the Burgstallkogel. While the numerous groups of burial mounds are relatively well researched, the knowledge of the settlement system has large gaps. Accordingly, it is not yet clear to which extent the settlement on the Burgstallkogel possessed a specific position within a settlement hierarchy or even as a central settlement. How dense were the valleys of Sulm and Saggau populated in the Hallstatt period? As part of the "Iron-Age-Danube" objectives, landscape archeological research is pursuing the aforementioned questions. The evaluation of LiDAR images and ortho photos of the micro-region as well as geophysical prospections, fieldwalking and small test excavations should contribute to the understanding of the surroundings of the settlement Burgstallkogel and the Sulmtal-necropolis. On seven different places were conducted field researches in the frame of the “Archaeology-Camp Austria 2017” and different methods were tested. Among the locations – all potential Iron Age settlement sites - can be named on the one hand known archaeological sites like the hillfort Königsberg near Heimschuh, as well as until now uninvestigated potential settlement sites like a strategically located plateau on the hill Pernitschkogel, likewise situated near Heimschuh in the Sulm valley.

Call for papers, 2022

Following on the previous Routed Archaeology sessions organized at the last two EAA Annual Meetin... more Following on the previous Routed Archaeology sessions organized
at the last two EAA Annual Meetings—Routed Archaeology:
Archaeological Routes and Their Impact on Perception of
Archaeological Heritage in the Landscape and Routed Archaeology
II: Archaeological Routes and New Technologies respectively—
in this session we continue to explore different aspects
pertaining to the functioning and management of archaeological
routes. This time our primary focus is placed on one of the
essential features of all cultural routes – i.e. mobility, naturally,
with the underlying rationale of promoting travel and stimulating
people to move along the routes.

EAA Session Kiel 2021, 2020

Archaeological routes and paths, information boards and monument interpretation tools are conside... more Archaeological routes and paths, information boards and monument interpretation tools are considered a great way to present and promote the archaeological heritage. They encourage individual visitors or groups to explore the landscapes and experience the original sites of discovery of the objects displayed in the vitrines of museums. The approaches and challenges may differ widely, depending on the type of heritage, accessibility, possibilities for presentation, touristic potential of regions and so on. Many of these challenges were discussed in the Session “Routed Archaeology – Archaeological Routes and Their Impact on Perception of Archaeological Heritage in the Landscape” at the annual EAA meeting in the year 2020.
The year 2020 and COVID-19 pandemic have created new challenges, but also new opportunities for the archaeological routes. On the one hand, it is becoming increasingly difficult to transmit information on heritage to visitors in a direct manner, but on the other hand the promotion for regional/local/national tourism has raised the interest in the European archaeological heritage.
In the recent years new technologies are steadily gaining in importance as indispensable tools in the visualisation and interpretation of archaeological heritage. Digital guides, augmented reality, digital visualisations of monuments are becoming major tools for reaching new younger audiences. They offer new ways to transmit information to the outdoor visitors of archaeological sites. The session is associated with the EU-project Danube´s Archaeological eLandscapes.

Call for papers EAA 2020, 2020

Archaeology is and always was involved in the landscapes by research and monument protection. At ... more Archaeology is and always was involved in the landscapes by research and monument protection. At the same time it is also shaping the landscape by interpreting and presenting the often hidden archaeological heritage and making it usable for tourism. Archaeological routes, paths, information boards and monument interpretation tools have been for a long time part of our participating in the modern use of the landscapes and its heritage. In the recent years the new technologies are getting more and more involved in the visualisation and interpretation of archaeological heritage. Digital guides, augmented reality, digital visualisations of monuments are becoming major tools for reaching new younger audiences. How are this analogue and digital interpretation tools compatible? What do users look for in the digital world of archaeology? Do we still need information boards on archaeological trails? In our session we are looking for contributions presenting newly established trails, routes or interpretations of archaeological monuments for the visitors in the landscapes, open air facilities and museums. A special focus should be on new fresh approaches and the combination of digital and analogue interpretation tools. Also experiences with complex and large transnational cultural routes are very welcome to the session.

LBI ArchPro Symposium in cooperation with the Danube University Krems, Austria 2. – 3. April 2019... more LBI ArchPro Symposium in cooperation with the Danube University Krems, Austria 2. – 3. April 2019 at Danube University Krems
The main objective of the symposium is to offer a multidisciplinary forum to discuss relevant topics and specific issues in cultural heritage protection and management and the application of digital methods for this purpose. The program shall encourage the scientific exchange and strengthen collaborative ties between participating institutions as well as increase the awareness of non-invasive methods in cultural heritage protection among stakeholders and the interested public.
Session 3: Raising Awareness for digital methods for cultural property protection and cultural heritage management