Network science and island archeology: Advancing the debate

Abstract

Island archeology is increasingly using network science to make sense of patterns of connectivity in the past. This article advocates in favor of a greater dialogue between these two fields, not just at the level of methodology but also of theory. Relational thinking, which lies at the heart of network science, can shed light on key issues in island archeology, such as isolation/connectivity and centrality/marginality, and their effects on island communities. Island identities in particular are often considered fairly statically by archeologists, in terms of cultural divergence resulting from marginality and isolation. Given the range of population mobility and maritime interaction in the Mediterranean during the Neolithic and Bronze Age, a network perspective can cast a different light on insularity, focusing the attention on intercultural encounters and the role of marginal spaces in the development of relational identities.

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