MONUMENTALIZED EARLY IRON AGE LANDSCAPES IN THE DANUBE REGION

IRON-AGE-DANUBE

Over the past few decades, European archaeological heritage gained major attention by connecting prominent archaeological sites to wider transnational networks, which have become a popular tool for their protection, promotion and tourist use. Imposingly attractive, however very fragile, prehistoric landscapes in the Danube programme area remain partly hidden and not well integrated into cultural tourism.

The Iron-Age-Danube project focuses on monumental archaeological landscapes of the Early Iron Age, characterized by, e.g., fortified hilltop settlements and large burial mounds (tumuli) cemeteries, from the era between roughly the 9th–4th century BC (Hallstatt period).

The project partnership builds on joint approaches for researching and managing complex (pre)historic landscapes and their integration into sustainable tourism.

The project’s major innovation is the methodological shift of dealing with complex prehistoric landscapes rather than individual sites, therefore the partnership will develop new strategies and methodological tools for their protection, presentation and promotion. More importantly, they will not remain only on a theoretical level, but will be practically tested and implemented in nine micro-regions over five countries: Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia. For this process, international camps will be organized, closely linking research agendas with public events and new visitor programmes. All gathered knowledge will be published in landscape studies, which are the basis for a new digital application with interactive visualizations and augmented reality features. With this application and small scale investments, visitors will be able to experience our heritage in a completely different way.

FUNDING

Overall budget of the project: 2.552.000,00 EUR (2.169.200 EUR co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund [85%].

TIME FRAME

January 1st 2017 –September 30th 2019

OBJECTIVES AND WORKING REGIONS

Research, protection and touristic use of the most important Iron Age Landscapes in Austria (AT), Croatia (CRO), Hungary (HU), Slovakia (SVK) and Slovenia (SI), among them the micro-regions of Großklein (AT), Strettweg (AT), Jalžabet (CRO), Kaptol (CRO), Poštela (SI), DolenjskeToplice (SI), Százhalombatta (HU), Süttő (HU) and Sopron (HU).

PROJECT PARTNERS

LP (AT) Universalmuseum Joanneum [https://www.museum-joanneum.at/archaeologiemuseum-schloss-eggenberg]

PP 1 (AT) University of Graz, Institute of Archaeology [www.archaeologie.uni-graz.at]

PP 2 (AT) University of Vienna, Institute of Prehistoric and Historical Archaeology [https://uha.univie.ac.at/ueber-uns/a-look-at-the-institute/]

PP 3 (SI) University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts, Department of Archaeology [www.arheologija.ff.uni-lj.si]

PP 4 (SI) Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia, Centre for Preventive Archaeology [www.zvkds.si]

PP 5 (SI) University of Maribor, Faculty for Agriculture and Life Sciences [http://fkbv2.um.si/index.php/en/]

PP 6 (HR) Institute of Archaeology [www.iarh.hr/en/home]

PP 7 (HR) Archaeological Museum in Zagreb [https://www.amz.hr/hr/naslovnica/]

PP 8 (HU) Matrica Museum and Archaeological Park (until 2018) [www.matricamuzeum.hu/en]
PP 9 (HU) Eötvös Loránd University, Faculty of Humanities, Institute of Archaeological Sciences [www.btk.elte.hu/en/]

PP 10 (HU) Archaeolingua Foundation [http://www.archaeolingua.hu/about-us]

PP 11 (HU) Hungarian National Museum (from 2018) [https://mnm.hu/en]