December 2022
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150 Reads
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4 Citations
Migrations constitute one of the most defining features of human history from the very beginning to the present. In recent years, the increasing application of ancient DNA and isotope studies has been revolutionising our understanding of past population movements, although the interpretation of the results is often still controversial. This volume provides an insight into cutting-edge research on late prehistoric migrations in Eurasia, integrating different strands of evidence and emphasising the need for combining bioarchaeological analyses with a solid theoretical and methodological background. The 15 chapters within the book range from the 3rd to the 1st millennia BC, with a geographical scope extending from Atlantic Europe to Central Asia. Case studies include a reassessment of large-scale migrations, but also high-resolution studies from micro-regions. From a discussion of phenomena such as the Yamnaya and Bell Beaker complexes or the so-called ‘Celtic’ migrations, to novel approaches to motherhood and fosterage, the volume highlights new avenues for the understanding of human mobility. Overall, the results offered in the book reveal the extraordinary diversity of migrations in ancient Eurasia and the various ways in which archaeology can contribute to wider discussions on past and present mobility.