Abstract

The study of population movements and cultural interaction, both large- and small-scale, has been increasingly important for understanding past societies and the archaeological remains of their material culture. As the result of long-term social and ideological practices in life and death, consumption and deposition patterns in the archaeological record are essential for viewing changes in cultural identities brought about by contact with other groups. In the Early Iron Age, groups of people we call “Phoenicians” set forth to various regions around the Mediterranean Sea and established predominantly colonial connections with local populations. While Phoenician presence is attested on the island of Crete, the available evidence does not reflect common trends in the archaeological remains of Phoenician colonial activity. Consequently, many debates exist on how to classify the interactions of Phoenicians and Cretans in the Early Iron Age. A reexamination of archaeological data associated with the Phoenician presence on Crete, however, provides an opportunity to test new theoretical models of transnational social interaction. In this article I suggest that the modern concept of minor transnationalism may be a useful tool to view this case of ancient cultural contact. In particular, I examine two examples of sanctuaries and cemeteries on Crete where Phoenician interactions with local populations have produced evidence for transnational spaces, which are created by the interconnections between agents of two liminal groups. By applying a modern theory to ancient evidence, this article will help expand the historical scope of transnationalism beyond strictly modern perspectives. In short, the application of transnationalism to the ancient past will provide a more transhistorical perspective on cultural contact.

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