Increasing inequality in Chalcolithic Southeast Europe: the case of Durankulak |
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Authors: | Arne Windler,Rainer Thiele,Johannes Mü ller |
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Affiliation: | 1. Institut für Ur- und Frühgeschichte, Christian-Albrechts-Universität, G.S. “Human Development in Landscapes”, Johanna-Mestorf-Strasse 2-6, 24098 Kiel, Germany;2. Institut für Weltwirtschaft an der Universität Kiel, Hindenburgufer 66, 24105 Kiel, Germany;3. Institut für Archäologische Wissenschaften der Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Am Bergbaumuseum 31, 44791 Bochum, Germany |
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Abstract: | Economic measurement tools allow a quantification of social differences not only for modern societies, but also for prehistoric communities. The use of Gini indices and Lorenz curves for the much discussed Chalcolithic cemetery of Durankulak (Bulgaria) indicates an average increase in material items from 5000 cal BC onwards and a tendency of these items to be distributed somewhat more equally. Towards the end of the Chalcolithic sequence, however, strongly growing inequality was associated with lower average welfare. The steep increase in social inequality might be one of the main reasons for the collapse of Chalcolithic societies around 4100 cal BC in Durankulak, but also in other South East European regions. |
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Keywords: | Social inequality Neolithic and Chalcolithic Bulgaria Collapse |
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