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Metal-detected past: a study of long-term developments in settlement patterns, technology and visual culture on the example of metal-detector finds from Estonia

Project description

Past unveiled by metal detectors

Metal detectors used for the exploration of the past could significantly improve our knowledge about settlement patterns, local production of ornaments and visual culture. The EU-funded MetDect project focuses on an extended volume of detected artefacts finds in Estonia between 1800 BCE and 1800 CE. The aim is to demonstrate the critical role of metal detectors in improving knowledge about the past. It will combine humanities and natural science methods. It will use GIS mapping and spatial analysis to explore settlement patterns and chemical methods to examine the local production of ornaments while artefacts discovered by private detectorists will be compared with other visual sources. The first open-access database on metal detector findings will also be launched.

Objective

MetDect examines long-term developments in the settlement patterns, local production of ornaments and visual culture by using metal-detector finds from Estonia. Despite the inherent limitation of the data (uneven level of contextual and empirical information), MetDect will demonstrate that the vast amount of metal-detector finds will significantly advance our current knowledge about the past. Unlike many other studies, this project focuses on the full variability of detected-artefacts in a long temporal scale (1800BCE–1800CE). MetDect will use a combination of methods drawn from humanities and natural sciences for investigating each topic. Settlement patterns and workshop areas will be examined by using GIS mapping and spatial analysis (e.g. point-pattern analysis), but production series of ornaments will be distinguished stylistically. Local production of ornaments is further examined by determining chemical composition (bulk alloy and trace elements) of selected production series. Lastly, new types and form variations of artefacts that are discovered by private detectorists will be compared with other visual sources (architectural and artefactual) in order to discuss circulation of ideas related to cross symbolism. MetDect will launch the first open-access database on metal-detector finds in the Eastern Baltic. Further, the results of this project will provide an important contribution to a wider debate regarding the usage of metal detectors by private persons. As such, MetDect offers a novel and ambitious research programme for studying metal-detector finds in the Baltic Sea area and beyond.

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Topic(s)

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MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) H2020-WF-2018-2020

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Coordinator

TALLINN UNIVERSITY
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 142 193,28
Address
Narva Road 25
10120 Tallinn
Estonia

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Region
Eesti Eesti Põhja-Eesti
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 142 193,28
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