Objective A textile is not simply a system of spun, twisted, or spliced fibres, but first and foremost a result of complex interactions between resources, technology, and society. Textile production and consumption is both ubiquitous and multi-faceted since, after food and shelter, textiles constitute the next most important necessity for people in all societies. Far from being a minor material, the production and consumption of textiles is at the heart of fundamental shifts in economy, trade and social relationships. In the ancient past, textile production was an economic necessity which has confronted all societies and carried particular importance in the growth of urbanism and state formation. The aim of the project PROCON is to investigate the role of textiles in the urbanisation and state formation of Mediterranean Europe (Greece, Italy, Spain) from 1000 to 500 BC and to demonstrate that textile production and consumption were a significant driving force of the economy and in the creation and perception of wealth. The focus is on the importance of the production and consumption of textiles for the development of city-states (as clothing, elite regalia, trade and exchange items, utilitarian textiles such as sails) and the implications of this for other aspects of the economy, such as the use of farm land, labour resources and the development of urban lifestyles. This interdisciplinary project is unique in that it takes developments in a relatively specialist research field (textile archaeology) and applies them towards modelling the dynamics behind a broader question of urbanisation in Mediterranean Europe. Using established and novel approaches, the project results will transform the landscape of Early Iron Age European research by providing new data sets, demonstrating textile production and consumption as major economic and social factors behind urbanism. In historical context, the PROCON project continues the European excellence in the field of textile research. Fields of science humanitieshistory and archaeologyhistoryengineering and technologymaterials engineeringtextileshumanitieshistory and archaeologyarchaeology Programme(s) FP7-IDEAS-ERC - Specific programme: "Ideas" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) ERC-SG-SH6 - ERC Starting Grant - The study of the human past Call for proposal ERC-2012-StG_20111124 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-SG - ERC Starting Grant Host institution THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE EU contribution € 1 204 185,00 Address TRINITY LANE THE OLD SCHOOLS CB2 1TN Cambridge United Kingdom See on map Region East of England East Anglia Cambridgeshire CC Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Principal investigator Margarita Gleba (Dr.) Administrative Contact Renata Schaeffer (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Beneficiaries (2) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE United Kingdom EU contribution € 1 204 185,00 Address TRINITY LANE THE OLD SCHOOLS CB2 1TN Cambridge See on map Region East of England East Anglia Cambridgeshire CC Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Principal investigator Margarita Gleba (Dr.) Administrative Contact Renata Schaeffer (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON Participation ended EU contribution € 295 692,00 Address GOWER STREET WC1E 6BT LONDON See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Greta Borg-Carbott (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data