Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology (427 page)

An extinct kind of large deer (Megaloceros giganteus), also known as the giant deer and, rather erroneously, as the Irish elk. Found widely across northern Europe and western Asia during Pleistocene times it stood up to 1.8m high at the shoulders. The males had huge palmated antlers with a span of up to 3m. It became extinct around 10000 years ago.

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search

The ‘city of all cities’ in ancient Greece; used in modern times to refer to very large conurbations.

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search

megaron
(pl.
megara
)
[MC].

Form of tripartite rectangular hall or building particularly associated with Mycenaean citadels, in which a rectangular room is approached through a forecourt and vestibule forming an extension of one end. The principal room commonly contained a central hearth surrounded by four columns and a dais to one side.

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search

A large tell (Tell el-Mutesellim) formed over a natural hill within the southern Jezree Valley of Israel, about 35km southeast of Haifa. Excavations by J. Schumacker in 1903–5 identified the site with the Biblical town of Megiddo, and this and subsequent investigations by Clarence Fisher and Yigael Yadin in 1925–39 revealed at least 25 major phases of occupation, beginning with sporadic occupation during the Neolithic and Chalcolithic. The site became a substantial town during the early Bronze Age, the early 4th millennium
bc
. It quickly became a fortified centre through its strategic position on the land route from Egypt to Mesopotamia. Megiddo was captured by the Egyptian king Thutmose III in about 1503 bc, and was subsequently transformed into an Egyptian garrison during the 15th and 14th centuries
bc
.
During the late 2nd millennium and early 1st millennium
bc
the site was sacked many times. In the 13th century
bc
it was in Canaanite hands and at this time a rock-cut shaft and a 65m long passage were built to give access to a spring inside the walls. In the 9th century
bc
it was in the hands of the Israelites and from this period there is a palace, shrine, and stable buildings. The site became important for Phoenician trade too, and among a number of notable finds there is a hoard of 400 Phoenician ivories.
The town was destroyed at the end of the 8th century
bc
, and, although rebuilt under Persian domination, it declined into insignificance during the Hellenistic period.
[Rep.: G. Loud , 1948,
Megiddo II. Seasons of 193–9
. Chicago: University of Chicago Press]

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search

A phase of the British late Neolithic spanning the period 3000–2750 bc which was defined by Colin Burgess in the late 1970s using Meldon Bridge in Peebleshire, Scotland, as the type-site. Following the middle Neolithic, the start of the Meldon Bridge period is marked by the development of
PETERBOROUGH WARE
and
GROOVED WARE
. It is followed by the
MOUNT PLEASANT PERIOD
. During the Meldon Bridge period major new types of monuments such as
HENGES
,
HENGE ENCLOSURES
,
CURS
S
,
PALISADED ENCLOSURES
,
DEVELOPED PASSAGE GRAVES
, and
STONE CIRCLES
began to develop. In some areas single graves became more common. The later part of this period also sees the first use of copper in the British Isles, initially in Ireland with items imported to other areas. This has been defined by Colin Burgess as metalworking Stage I (Castletown Roche industries) and Stage II (Knocknague/Lough Ravel industries).

 
Back
  -  
 
New Search