The Mediterranean Topographies cluster sheds light on trans-Mediterranean entanglements on the basis of their topographical and geographical preconditions by focussing on islands, settlements, sea currents, mountains, the hinterland, transport routes, and transport restrictions. On this basis, the cluster focusses on the development of communities, the formation of larger political contexts, and the emergence of great empires and colonial powers; it deals with the circulation of goods, with trade and exchange relations, with the migration of groups or individuals, with the movement of texts and ideas generated within Mediterranean communities, or with such texts and ideas as they move out to, or arrive from, outside the Mediterranean. Also of great importance for such relationships are languages and their translation, as well as artistic and literary representations.