Distant Times So Close: Pandemics and Crises Reloaded: 1 (ROOTS Booklet Series)

Archaeology is all about how the present came into existence. Thus, it contributes to the social understanding of crises, including present and potential future adversities. Even diseases, such as pandemics in past societies, were and are observed by archaeology. Some examples can be found in this booklet. The scientists of the Kiel Cluster of Excellence ROOTS describe human reactions in past societies that were organized quite differently from ours. This is precisely why it is possible to identify the basic features of human behaviour for the management of crises. From the emergence of agriculture more than 10,000 years ago to the Russian colonisation of Siberia a few hundred years ago, a fundamental pattern is becoming apparent: crises, including those caused by disease, can only be managed by increasing diversity. Acceptance of diversity, the introduction of new technologies and socially responsible action have always led to the mastering of crises. It is also clear that values can only be preserved or updated in crises through active involvement. For example, scientists describe that when people are passive, other social groups can easily bind power to themselves, whereas when people actively participate, more democratic structures can develop even in crisis scenarios. This is the message that we take with us from the past: Whether as a forager or as a simple farmer in earliest agricultural societies, in ancient Greece or in an early modern society - diversity and social commitment are the components that help us to overcome crises. Learning from the past for the present - that is the task of international archaeology. Felipe Criado-Boado President of the European Association of Archaeologists

Institute Of Prehistoric And Protohistoric Archaeology, Cau Kiel (Present). Previous Affiliations In Chronological Order: Studies Of Pre- And Protohistoric Archaeology In Freiburg And Edinburgh, Phd 1990, Habilitation 1998, Professor At University Bamberg, Free University Berlin, University Freiburg, Coordinator Of The Kiel Graduate School 'Human Development In Landscapes' 2007-; Speaker Of The Johanna-Mestorf-Academy 2011-; Speaker Of The Collaborative Research Centre 1266 'Scales Of Transformation: Human-Environmental Interaction In Prehistoric And Archaic Societies 2016-.

Key Publications:
Müller Et Al. 2009: J. Müller/T. Seregély/C. Becker/A.-M. Christensen/M. Fuchs/H. Kroll/D. Mischka/U. Schüssler, A Revision Of Corded Ware Settlement Pattern - New Results From The Central European Low Mountain Range. Proceedings Of The Prehistoric Society 75, 2009, 125-142.

Müller 2012: J. Müller, Aspenstedt-Großer Berg. Ein Spätneolithisches Grab Mit Kupfernem Nietdolch - Hinweis Auf Eine "Verpasste" Innovation. Prähistorische Zeitschrift 87, 2012, 44-57.

Lee Et Al. 2012: E.j. Lee/C. Makarewicz/R. Renneberg/M. Harder/B. Krause-Kyora/S. Müller/S. Ostritz/ L. Fehren-Schmitz/S. Schreiber/J. Müller/N. Von Wurmb-Schwark/A. Nebel, Emerging Genetic Patterns Of The European Neolithic. Perspectives From A Late Neolithic Bell Beaker Burial Site In Germany. American Journal Of Physical Anthropology 148, 2012, 571-579.

Müller Et Al. 2013: J. Müller/K. Rassmann/R. Hofmann, Okoliste 1 - Untersuchungen Einer Spätneolithischen Siedlungskammer In Zentralbosnien. Neolithikum Und Chalkolithikum In Zentralbosnien 1. Universitätsforschungen Zur Prähistorischen Archäologie (Bonn 2013).

Müller 2014: J. Müller, 4100-2700 B.c. Monuments And Ideologies In The Neolithic Landscape. In: J.f. Osborne (Ed.), Approaching Monumentality In Archaeology (New York 2014) 181-217.

Müller/Peterson 2015: J. Müller/R. Peterson, Ceramics And Society In Northern Europe. In: C. Fowler/J. Harding/D. Hofmann (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook Of Neolithic Europe (Oxford 2015).

Müller Et Al. 2015: J. Müller/M. Hinz/M. Ullrich, Bell Beakers - Chronology, Innovation And Memory. A Multivariate Approach. In: M. P.p. Martinez/L. Salanova (Eds.), The Bell Beaker Transition In Europe (Oxford 2015) 57-68.

Müller 2015: J. Müller, 8 Million Neolithic Europeans. Social Demography And Social Archaeology On The Scope Of Change - From The Near East To Scandinavia. In: K. Kristiansen/L. Smejda/J. Turek (Eds.), Paradigm Change (Oxford 2015) 200-214.

Müller 2015: J. Müller, Movement Of Plants, Animals, Ideas And People. Southeast-European Neolithic And Chalcolithic. In: C. Fowler/J. Harding/D. Hofmann (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook Of Neolithic Europe (Oxford 2015) 63-80.

Müller Et Al. 2016: J. Müller/K. Rassmann/M. Videiko, Trypillia Mega-Sites And European Prehistory: 4100- 3400 Bce. Themes In Contemporary Archaeology (London 2016).

Müller Et Al. 2017: J. Müller/V.p.j. Arponen/R. Hofmann/R. Ohlrau, The Appearance Of Social Inequalities: Cases Of Neolithic And Chalcolithic Societies. Origini 38 2015-2, 65-86.

Müller 2017: J. Müller, Rebellion And Inequality: Hierarchy And Balance. In: S. Hansen/J. Müller (Eds.), Rebellion And Inequality In Archaeology (Bonn 2017) 23-32.

Cheryl Makarewicz is professor at the Institute of Prehistoric and Protohistoric Archaeology at the Christian-Albrechts Univerity in Kiel.

Studies Of Classics In Tübingen And Oxford, Phd 1990, Habilitation 1997, Professor Of Classics, Especially Greek Literature At The Christian-Albrechts-Universität Zu Kiel 1999-, Ordinary Member Of The German Archaeological Institute 2000-, Dean Of The Faculty Of Humanities 2006-2008, Co-Coordinator Of The Kiel Graduate School 'Human Development In Landscapes' 2007-2016; Speaker Of The University's Research Focus 'Social, Environmental, Cultural Change' 2007-.

Key Publications:
Käppel 1992: L. Käppel, Das Theater Von Epidauros. Die Mathematische Grundidee Des Gesamtentwurfs Und Ihr Möglicher Sinn. Jahrbuch Des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts 104, 1989, 83-106.

Käppel 1992: L. Käppel, Paian. Studien Zur Geschichte Einer Gattung (Berlin/New-York 1992).

Käppel 1998: L. Käppel, Die Konstruktion Der Handlung In Der Orestie Des Aischylos. Die Makrostruktur Des 'Plot' Als Sinnträger In Der Darstellung Des Geschlechterfluchs (München 1998).

Käppel 1999: L. Käppel, Die Paradegma-Inschrift Im Tunnel Des Eupalinos Auf Samos. Antike Und Abendland 45 (1999) 75-100.

Käppel 2015: L. Käppel, Landscape And The Magic Of Music In Pindar'stwelfth Pythian Ode. In: L. Käppel/V. Pothou (Ed.), Human Development In Sacred Landscapes. Between Ritual Tradition, Creativity And Emotionality (Göttingen 2015) 155-172.

Käppel 2016: L. Käppel, Charis Als Bindung Und Bann. Vom Zauber Der Musik In Pindars Zwölfter Pythischer Ode. In: Carsten Binder Et Al. (Eds.), Diwan. Studies In The History And Culture Of The Ancient Near East And The Eastern Mediterranean (Duisburg 2016) 273-302.

Käppel/Loehr 2016: L. Käppel/J. Loehr, Friedrich Schleiermacher, Platons Werke I,1, Berlin 1804. 1817, Einleitung, Phaidros, Lysis, Protagoras, Laches (Berlin/Boston 2016).

Käppel 2017: L. Käppel, The Philosophical Banquet In Greek Literature. In: D. Hellholm/D. Sänger (Eds.), The Eucharist - Its Origins And Contexts. Sacred Meal, Communal Meal, Table Fellowship In Late Antiquity, Early Judaism, And Early Christianity Iii (Tübingen 2017) 1519-1527.

Käppel 2017: L. Käppel, Heraklits Kosmologie Als Praxis Von Modellierung. In: E. Fantino/U. Muss/C. Schubert/K. Sier (Eds.), Heraklit Im Kontext (Berlin/Boston 2017) 211-230.