Project description
Technical and social invention in the Caucasus
The civilizations of Ancient Mesopotamia gave birth to many important advances in science and technology. The oldest wheel, for example, was discovered in the particular region, used for chariots some 5 000 years ago. The EU-funded ARCHCAUCASUS project challenges this theory, prevalent in the world of science and archeology, creating space for alternative hypotheses: that new technologies and techniques claim to have been discovered in Mesopotamia were actually adaptation from different ‘peripheries’. The ARCHCAUCASUS study will expand on this by probing four axial innovations: wheel and wagon, metal alloys, silver metallurgy and woolly sheep. The project is multidisciplinary, making use of the most up-to-date analytical methods.
Fields of science
- humanitieshistory and archaeologyhistoryprehistory
- humanitieshistory and archaeologyhistoryancient history
- natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrytransition metals
- natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistryalkaline earth metals
- natural scienceschemical sciencesanalytical chemistrymass spectrometry
Programme(s)
Topic(s)
Funding Scheme
ERC-ADG - Advanced Grant
Host institution
14195 Berlin
Germany
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Beneficiaries (1)
14195 Berlin
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