Tides of History The First Cities North of the Alps: Interview with Professor Manuel Fernandez-Götz
Sep 4, 2025
Professor Manuel Fernandez-Götz, an expert in Later European Prehistory from Oxford, dives deep into the intriguing world of the Iron Age. He discusses the transformative impact of urbanization and state formation in ancient societies. The conversation covers the significance of the Hoineberg site as a bustling center of craftspeople and merchants. Fernandez-Götz highlights the role of advanced archaeological techniques like ancient DNA analysis in uncovering social dynamics, elite structures, and the interconnectedness of early Iron Age cultures.
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Parallel Urban Trends North And South
- Northern centralization mirrors Mediterranean urbanization but with different forms and timings.
- Heuneburg and other Hallstatt sites show tangible contacts with Massalia, Etruria, and northern Italy.
Shared Drivers Of Aggregation
- Shared technological, demographic, and connectivity changes drove widespread aggregation and elite-driven networks in the early first millennium BC.
- Iron metallurgy, colonial expansion, and population growth produced similar social responses across Europe.
Hallstatt As A Diverse Horizon
- 'Hallstatt' names a broad zone from central France to Croatia in 800–450 BC but masks regional diversity.
- Fernández-Götz prefers 'Hallstatt communities' to emphasize variation within the wider cultural horizon.