Environmental Change and the Decline of an Ancient City: The Case of Lixus, Northern Morocco

Location: This virtual interactive exhibit is available to the public in Hodges Library from Oct 25-27 (during normal library hours). Description: How and why do cities disappear? Are changes in local environmental factors more of a cause or are changes in the political and economic relationships that sustain local society more responsible? Archaeology is uniquely disposed to address these questions when it comes to long-term changes in past human settlement. The city of Lixus in northern Morocco, regarded as the earliest city in northwestern Africa, provides a case study for examining the interplay of environmental and social factors that lead to the decline and disappearance of a city. Lixus was a thriving port city during the first millennium BCE and early first millennium CE, but appears to become abandoned in the centuries after the collapse of the Roman Empire in the west during the early 5th century CE. Human Behavioral Ecology (HBE) comprises a set of approaches to analyze the process of human settlement in a landscape, but is here used to assess the factors that lead to a city's abandonment. Adjusting the parameters in the model presented here will indicate the degree to which environmental or social factors are responsible for Lixus' decline. About the Series: One Health + Humanities Days is a three-day series of events showcasing the Critical role that arts and humanities play in understanding and exploring sustainability and global wellbeing, including human, animal, plan, and environmental health. Events will take place October 25-27, 2023, on and around the UT Knoxville campus. Who Can Attend?: These events are free to attend and open to students, faculty, and the public.

Event Links

Website: https://go.evvnt.com/1989459-0

Read More

View Less