Austvoll/Seaways to Complexity, 1. Introduction

By the beginning of the Late Neolithic and continuing into the Early Bronze Age, the reliance and utilisation of the sea set the stage for a more advanced sociopolitical organisation along the coast of northwestern Scandinavia. How was this operationalized? In this introduction chapter the author outlines his primary focus, which centres on the reasons behind the development and variation of sociopolitical organisation along the coast of northwestern Scandinavia in the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age. Moreover, a presentation of the theoretical and research historical stance is offered. First, some theoretical considerations are discussed and highlighted. This is presented through a general discussion on political economy approaches, the implementation of social evolution in archaeology, and their context within a northern European research history. This serve as a foundation for the framing of the theoretical model developed in this chapter. Secondly, cross-cultural comparison from independent regions is presented to illustrate the organisational structure from comparatively similar regions and assist in the modelling of a sociopolitical framework in northwestern Scandinavia. Lastly, previous and current trends that have figured in Scandinavian Bronze Age research are highlighted in order to position this book in a broader discourse.