The First State in Western Europe: The Argaric Culture

Buy a DNA kit here: Use the coupon code DAN for free shipping. As an added bonus, you can start a 30-day free trial of MyHeritage’s best subscription for family history research. In Bronze Age Iberia there was a powerful society that dominated the region for over six hundred years. This was a strictly hierarchical society ruled by powerful chieftains, or perhaps kings and queens, supported by a wealthy aristocracy, a labouring class, and slaves. They interred their dead with standardised grave goods that marked their age, sex, and social rank. The elite men were given copper and bronze weapons while the elite women wore gold or silver jewellery and sometimes beautiful silver diadems. They had trade links that extended across the Mediterranean to North Africa, the Aegean, and the Near East, and all the way across Europe to the Baltic. This is the amazing story of the bronze age rulers of Spain – what some have called the first state society in Western Europe - the El Argar culture. *If you enjoy my videos please consider supporting the channel* Become a YouTube Channel Member: Support me on Patreon: All my books on Amazon: *My Links* Website Facebook: Twitter: Instagram: *Sources* The Oxford Handbook of the European Bronze Age: The Archaeology of Bronze Age Iberia- Argaric Societies: Political collapse and social change at the end of El Argar -Lull, Micó, Herrada and Risch The La Bastida fortification: new light and new questions on Early Bronze Age societies in the western Mediterranean - Lull, Micó, Herrada and Risch Bell Beaker Settlement of Europe: The Bell Beaker Phenomenon from a Domestic Perspective Genomic transformation and social organization during the Copper Age–Bronze Age transition in southern Iberia: Kinship practices in the early state El Argar society from Bronze Age Iberia: The above links include affiliate links which means we will earn a small commission from your purchases at no additional cost to you which is a way to support the channel. *Thank you* Ancient Europeans for use of artwork: *Video Chapters* 00:00 The Argaric culture 02:12 Sponsorship 04:02 Where did they come from? 06:01 What is the El Argar culture? 11:03 El Argar burial customs 13:42 El Argar kinship practices 15:05 Women and leadership in Argaric society 18:08 Decline and fall of El Argar