Mortuary differentiation and social structure in the Middle Helladic Argolid, 2000-1500 B.C.

Until recently, the Middle Helladic period was described as homogeneous and static. However, recent research has shown regional variability, early changes and more complexity. In Mortuary differentiation and social structure in the Middle Helladic Argolid, 2000-1500 B.C. the archaeological, anthropological and radiocarbon data from selected sites are integrated to determine if there was variation between individual burials, groupings and cemeteries and to reconstruct change through time. This work was done for selective Argive sites, namely Lerna, Asine and Aspis. The analysis has shown that in all cemeteries and through time kinship was the most important structuring principle, and age position in the kin network the most important component. Differentiation was not only observed within each burial place, but also between sites during the same period. Generally, a steady ‘scaling up’ can be observed, but it did not affect all sites in the same way. Changes were already underway at the beginning of the period but became intensified towards its end.