The Impact of Rivers on Ancient Economies

The increased interest in the mutual interdependence of socio-cultural and physical spaces has led to the fact that watercourses have gained in importance as a formative factor of societies. Landscapes shaped by rivers provide characteristics and specific conditions that have a major impact on the economic life of people living in riverine contexts. Rivers are significant natural resources and offer special opportunities for economic activities. They can act both as connecting arteries and as borderlines. The contributions of our panel describe rivers as dynamic factors of ancient communities and their economy. The articles presented in this volume focus on the interrelation between river landscapes and the economic habits of their inhabitants. The case studies cover a wide range of epochs and geographical areas and discuss phenomena such as geomorphic and anthropogenic changes in rivers, the role of rivers as transport and trade routes and their impact on settlement patterns.