This book sheds light on the achievements of the Old European civilization, also known as the Danube civilization, which flourished between 6000 and 3000 BCE. Contrary to popular belief, many elements attributed to Greek origins stem from this pre-Greek culture. Modern research reveals that ancient civilizations developed along two distinct paths: communitarian administration without social hierarchy, as seen in the Danube and Indus civilizations, and state models with hierarchical structures, exemplified by Sumerian and Egyptian cultures.

This book highlights how the values and innovations of Old Europe laid the foundation for Greek civilization and, subsequently, Western civilization. By exploring these roots, the study provides modern Europeans with a deeper understanding of their heritage and the diverse origins of their cultural values. The book will appeal to scholars, researchers, and students of political science, history, cultural studies, and anthropology, as well as to everyone interested in a better understanding of European heritage, its values, and the Danube civilization.

Presents the origins of Western civilization rooted in the Old European (Danube) civilization Examines how pre-Greek achievements shaped Greek and subsequent Western cultural values Analyzes the dual paths of ancient civilization development and their impact on modern society

Autorentext

Harald Haarmann is a German linguist and cultural scientist who lives and works in Finland. Haarmann studied general linguistics, various philological disciplines, and prehistory at the universities of Hamburg (Germany), Bonn (Germany), Coimbra (Portugal), and Bangor (UK). He holds a PhD from Bonn University and completed his habilitation at Trier University (Germany). Haarmann taught and conducted research at several German and Japanese universities. He is Vice-President of the Institute of Archaeomythology (headquartered in Sebastopol, California) and director of its European branch (based in Luumäki, Finland). For his work, Haarmann has received several awards and some of his books have been translated into sixteen languages.

Inhalt

Chapter 1. Introduction: The Old European cultural heritage in focus Visions about a significant educational value.- Chapter 2. Many good reasons for giving Old Europe the credit it de-serves.- Chapter 3. Writing The technology that produces civilization.- Chapter 4. Greek civilization as a 'turntable' for the transmission of fundamental achievements into western civilization.- Chapter 5. Peaceful community life as a fundamental value A nostalgic reminder of the significance of the Old Euro-pean heritage.- Chapter 6. Living in the rhythm of nature The value of nature protection as an ingredient of the Old European heritage.- Chapter 7. Long-time experiences with audiovisual performance The pre-Greek tradition of theatre.- Chapter 8. The emergence of modern art A case of long duration of aesthetics inspired by the tradi-tion of Old European abstract art.- Chapter 9. Methodical challenges for introducing new teaching materi-als into school education.