2017Dietz-Hidding-Preisigke (eds.), Migration and Change. Causes and Consequences of Mobility in the Ancient World, DWJ 3, 1-2. (original) (raw)
Related papers
On the Move. Migration in Antiquity (10-15th April 2022)
Migration has been a fact of life throughout the history of mankind. The 5-day international conference will consider both historical examples and theoretical models of why, how and under which conditions migration processes happen, and of the impact migration has on incoming and welcoming populations groups. Papers covering different periods and/or methodological approaches will be welcome, but a special focus shall lie on historical examples from the Ancient Near East to enable a discussion of specific migration processes, and their reception in the short and long-term in context. A particular aim of the conference will be to foster exchange between scholars active in different fields. To facilitate this, the conference will combine discussion panels with the delivery of traditional papers on four pre-defined topics, namely on: (1) Reasons for Migration; (2) Modes of Migration; (3) Reaction to Migration; (4) Consequences of Migration.
A Demographer’s Considerations on Migrations in Antiquity
2021
A Demographer’s Consideration on Migrations in Antiquity The modes of mobility in ancient times were highly variable. They ranged from the slow mobility of proximity, determined by the natural evolution of communities and peoples concerning the occupied territory, to rapid transmigration, even over immense distances, of entire populations seeking new settlements. This paper summarizes many phenomena of mobility in ancient times. In particular, we considered the circumstances and methods of migration in the Greek and Roman world and, beginning in the third century, the pressures of the Germanic peoples on the Roman Empire’s borders. Le considerazioni di un demografo sulle migrazioni dell’antichita Le modalita che hanno caratterizzato la mobilita in epoca antica sono state estremamente varabili, andando da una lenta mobilita di prossimita, determinata dal naturale evolversi di comunita e popoli in rapporto al territorio occupato, a trasmigrazioni rapide, anche su lunghissime distanze,...
2013
This peer reviewed volume consists of selected papers from the Graduate Archaeology Organisation at Oxford Conference held 4-5 April, 2008 at Hertford College, University of Oxford that explored the premise that archaeological contexts are the result of dynamic cultural, taphonomic, and environmental processes involving mobility, transitions, and culture changes. The fourteen papers in this volume present new innovative research and perspectives into mobility in archaeology, thereby showcasing an inter-disciplinary dialogue between Classical and Prehistoric archaeology, each employing different methodologies to discuss mobility and change, but also how scientific investigations can highlight the less tangible aspects of societal changes over time.
How People Moved among Ancient Societies: Broadening the View
American Anthropologist Vol 115 (2), 2013
Archaeologists have made great strides in understanding prehistoric migration, yet they have tended to focus on only part of the continuum of human movement. In nonstate societies, individuals and groups moved frequently across social and environmental boundaries for a range of reasons. Although archaeologists are well aware of the fluid nature of social boundaries, we are only beginning to use this knowledge to understand human movement. I use ethnohistoric and ethnographic examples to show that people in nonstate societies moved frequently as a result of warfare and captive taking, processes of fission and fusion, and random demographic events typical of small-scale societies. Such movement was often hurried, sometimes coerced, and decision making could be constrained by social factors beyond migrants' control. Illustrated with a case study from the American Southwest, I argue here that consideration of such forms of movement can significantly improve our interpretations of the past. [population movement, archaeology, ethnohistory, nonstate societies, American Southwest] RESUMEN Arqueólogos han hecho grandes avances en el entendimiento de la migración prehistórica, sin embargo han tendido a concentrarse solo en parte del continuum del movimiento humano. En sociedades sin estados, los individuos y grupos se movieron frecuentemente a través de fronteras sociales y ambientales por una variedad de razones. Aunque arqueólogos son bien conscientes de la naturaleza de las fronteras sociales, estamos solo empezando a usar este conocimiento para entender el movimiento humano. Utilizo ejemplos etnohistóricos y etnográficos para mostrar que las personas en sociedades sin estado se mueven frecuentemente como resultado de guerras y toma de prisioneros, procesos de fisión y fusión y eventos demográficos al azar típicos de sociedades a pequeña escala. Tal movimiento fue a menudo apresurado, algunas veces coaccionado y la toma de decisiones pudo ser constreñida por factores sociales mas allá del control de los migrantes. Ilustrado con un estudio de caso del Suroeste Americano, argumento aquí que la consideración de tales formas de movimiento puede significativamente mejorar nuestras interpretaciones del pasado. [movimiento de poblaciones, arqueología, etnohistoria, sociedades sin estado, Suroeste Americano] I n a little over two decades, the study of migration in U.S. archaeology has gone from a discredited remnant of culture history to a major research theme. We have made significant progress in understanding migration as a process, a goal set for us in 1990 by David Anthony. Although studies of migration have been productive, scholars have tended to focus on only a portion of the range of human movements
Conference Program - Migration in Antiquity (Ascona, 10-15 April 2022)
Meira Polliack, "Narratives of Migration in the Hebrew Bible" My paper focused on the typification of migrant figures in the Hebrew Bible, and on narratives and characterizations in which theme of migration is addressed as part of the character's spiritual, emotional and psychological make-up (some of the examples discussed included Moses, Jacob, Joseph, Jonah Jeremiah). I showed 5 types of migration models, against the background of Ancient Near Eastern and Classical narratives, yet also highlighting the uniqueness of these models in the biblical text. The talk also focused on the connection between migration and trauma in the biblical sources, not in the usual connectivity to exilic sources and notions, but as an internal process (including the concept of "inner migration"). Positive and negative aspects of migration/migrants were highlighted in a wide range of Hebrew Bible (OT) sources, as well as the range of metaphorical expressions used in their typification, and in symbolizing the transformational aspects of the personal experience of migration.