Table of Contents

A. Introduction. 1. Prehistory to History S. J. De Laet 2. Main Trends of the New Period A. H. Dani and J.-P. MohenB. Thematic Section 3. Technical Aspects J. -P. Mohen 4. From Empirical to Scientific Knowledge 4.1. From Empirical Knowledge to the Beginnings of Scientific Thought W. F. Reineke 4.2. The Measurement of Time and the Establishment of Calendars J. L. Leclant and J. -P. Mohen 5. Economic and Socio-Political Developments M. Liverani 6. Sedentary Agricultural and Nomadic Pastoral Populations (3000-700BC) A. Sherratt 7. From State to Empire V. A. Jakobson and M. A. Dandamaev 8. The Development of Long-Distance Trade and the Emergence of a Merchant Class J. -P. Mohen 9. The Beginning of the Iron Age: Invention of Ironwork and its Consequences P. Villard 10. The Dawn of Writing and the Principal Linguistic Families 10.1. From the Origins of Writing to the Alphabet M. Rector 10.2. The Most Ancient Languages Revealed by Writing S. A. Wurm 10.3. The Indo-European Phenomenon: Linguistics and Archaeology J. P. Mallory 11. Oral Traditions and Literature, Religion and Art 11.1. Oral Traditions and Literature 11.1.1. The Oral Tradition J.- P. Mohen 11.1.2. Writing and Literature M. Rector 11.2. Religion and Art 11.2.1. The Development of Religion J. Ries 11.2.2. Art and Architecture J. -P. Mohen 11.2.3. Song, Music and Dance J. -P. MohenC. Regional Section Introduction. A. H. Dani and J. -P. Mohen C.1. Regions for which written sources are available 12. Africa 12.1. The Nile Valley (3000-700BC) C. Ziegler 12.2. Egypt (1780-700BC) G. Mokhtar 12.3. Nubia and its relationship with Egypt T. Obenga 13. Europe 13.1. The Aegean World and Cyprus M. Sakellariou 13.2. The Early Bronze Age in the Aegean World (3000-700BC) C. Doumas 13.3. The Middle and Late Bronze Age in the Aegean World (2100-1100BC) 13.3.1. Historical Survey: Economy, Society and the State M. Sakellariou 13.3.2. Settlement and Architecture, Arts and Crafts, Ideology C. Doumas 13.4. The Aegean World from 1100 to 700BC: Hindsight and Revival M. Sakellariou 13.5. Cyprus V. Karageorghis 14. Asia 14.1. Mesopotamia 14.1.1. The Tigris and Euphrates Valley (3000-1500BC) C. C. Lamberg-Karlovsky^, R. Wright and C. Edens 14.1.2. The Kassite Period G. Roux and C. Edens 14.2. Syria and Palestine (including the Punic colonization in Spain and North Africa) 14.2.1. From 3000 to 1500BC D. Beyer 14.2.2. From c.1500 to 700 BC H. Klengel and C. Edens 14.3. Anatolia: Anatolian Civilizations E. Akurgal 14.4. Iran (3000-700BC) R. Dittmann 14.5. Afghanistan (3000-700BC) V. I. Sarianda and C. Edens 14.6. Arabian Peninsula A. R. Al-Ansary and C. Edens 14.7. The Indus Civilization M. Rafique Mughal and B. K. Thapar 14.8. The Post Indus Civilization B. K. Thapar and A. Rahman 14.9. China 14.9.1. The Huanghe Valley An Zhimin 14.9.2. The Shang Dynasty (1600-1027BC), The Western Zhou Dynasty (1027-770BC), Peripheral Bronze Cultures in the Shang and Western Zhou period Zhang Chang Shu C.II. Regions for which only archaeological and anthropological sources are available 15. Africa (excluding the Egyptian/Nubian Nile Valley) (c.3000-700BC) L. M. Diop-Maes, A. M. Lam, Massamba Lam, T. Obenga, D. W. Philippson and B. Sall 15.1. Introduction. 15.2. North Africa and the Sahara 15.3. West Africa 15.4. Central Africa 15.5. Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa plus East Africa 15.6. Southern Africa 15.7. Thematic Discussion on: Economy, Technology, Religion and Socio-political Organization, Art 16. Europe 16.1. Introduction J. -P. Mohen 16.2. Southern Europe R. Peroni and J. -P. Mohen 16.3. Balkans and South Eastern Europe R. Katincharov and N. Tasic 16.4. Central Europe