Cultural landscapes in the lower Danube area. Experimenting tell settlements

Abstract

In archaeological research Chalcolithic tells are generally approached as distinct, decontextualized, architectural objects, separated from the other cultural traits which form a whole dwelling complex. A goal of the present paper is to present tells as part of a larger dwelling strategy, under the form of a cultural landscape structured by numerous rites of passage and modelled with fire. The experimental and experiential approaches to understanding the process of construction and of intentional firing, as well as the importance of firescapes in the construction of collective memory are discussed.