ABSTRACT
TheareadescribedhereconsistsofthepeninsulaofSpainandPortugal, thelandmassofwesternFrance,andtheislandsofBritainandIreland. AllpartsofthisareaareassociatedwiththeAtlanticOceanorits Europeanwaters,excepteasternSpainandsouth-easternFrancewhich areborderedbytheMediterraneanSea.Throughout,nopartisfurther fromamajorbodyofwaterthan300km,excepttheMesetasofcentral Spain.Insuchaposition,itistobeexpectedthatmaritimeresourcesand navigationwouldplayimportantrolesinthelifeofBronzeAgesocieties, justastheyhavedoneinhistorictimes.ThecomparativelackofBronze Ageevidenceforsuchmaritimeinterestsisareflectionbothof archaeologicalworkandofthecharacterofsurvivingBronzeAge evidence,andthesematterswillbediscussedbelow.
