Gender and Material Culture in Archaeological Perspective

by M. Donald (Editor), Davide Bleiner (Editor)

Overview

Material culture, the substance of much archaeological research, has only recently been studied as evidence of gender relations. Case studies, drawn from many different periods and areas, develop concepts and theories as diverse as the social context of production and artefact use to the construction of food as a gendered social medium. The international contributors critique traditional approaches and consider feminist and non-heterosexual gender perspectives.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780333643327
Publisher:	Palgrave Macmillan UK
Publication date:	07/11/2000
Series:	Studies in Gender and Material Culture Series
Edition description:	2000
Pages:	275
Product dimensions:	5.51(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

VERNER ALEXANDERSEN Lecturer, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Copenhagen, Panun Institute
MARY BAKER details not yet supplied)
CHARLOTTE BRYSTING DAMM Lecturer, Institute of Archaeology, University of Tromsi, Northern Norway
MEREDITH S. CHESSON Postdoctoral tutor in Archaeology, Department of Anthropology, Harvard University
SARAH COLLEY Lecturer, School of Archaeology, University of Sydney
JOHN GERRY Lecturer in Anthropology and Academic Dean, Harvard University
CATHERINE JOHNSSON MA Degree, Department of Archaeology, University of Uppsala, Sweden
DIMITRI KOKKINIDOU Greek Language Adviser, Department of Education, Victoria, and Associate, Department of Classics and Anthropology, Monash University, Melbourne
KEITH MATTHEWS Senior Archaeologist, Chester City Council
CHRISTOPHER MEIKLEJOHN Professor, Department of Anthropology, University of Winnipeg, Canada
JENNY MOORE Editor, Institute of Field Archaeologists
MARIANNA NIKOLAIDOU Research Associate, Institute of Archaeology, University of California, Los Angeles
LINDA OWEN Part-time lecturer in Archaeology, University of Tubingen
ERIK BRINCH PETERSEN Professor, Institute for Archaeology and Ethnology, University of Copenhagen
ELIZABETH REGA Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology, W.M.Keck Science Center, Claremont Colleges
CAROLINE ROSS MA Degree, Department of Archaeology, University of Uppsala, Sweden
LOUISE SENIOR (details not yet supplied)

Table of Contents

Notes on the Contributors Introduction; L.Hurcombe PART ONE: QUESTIONING PERSPECTIVES The Material Culture of the Homosexual Male: A Case for Archaeological Exploration; K.Matthews Sisters are Doing it for Themselves? Gender, Feminism and Australian (Aboriginal) Archaeology; S.Colley A Sexist Present, a Human-less Past: Museum Archaeology in Greece; D.Kokkinidou & M.Nikolaidou Gender: Enabling Perspective or Politically Correct Term? An Analysis of How Gender and Material Culture are Viewed by 1990s Academia; M.Baker PART TWO: SOCIAL CONTEXTS FOR CRAFTS, TECHNOLOGY AND PRODUCTION Gender and Craft Innovation: Proposal of a Model; L.Senior Time, Skill and Craft Specialisation as Gender Relations; L.Hurcombe Time, Gender and Production: A Critical Evaluation of Archaeological Time Concepts; C.B.Damm Who Lights the Fire? Gender and the Energy of Production; J.Moore PART THREE: ARTEFACTS AND THEIR SOCIAL SETTINGS Long Handled Weaving Combs: Problems in Determining the Gender of Tool-maker and Tool-user; T.Tuohy The Use of Space in a Gender Study of Two South African Stone Age Sites; L.Wadley Gender, Material Culture, Ritual and Gender System: A Prehistoric Example Based on Sickles; C.Johnsson, K.Ross & S.Welinder Lithic Functional Analysis as a Means of Studying Gender and Material Culture in Prehistory ; L.Owen PART FOUR: DIET, BODIES AND BURIALS Fat is a Feminist Issue: On Ideology, Diet and Health in Hunter-gathering Societies; M.Zvelebil The Anthropology and Archaeology of Mesolithic Gender in the Western Baltic; C.Meiklejohn, E.B.Petersen & V.Alexandersen The Gendering of Children in the Early Bronze Age Cemetery at Mokrin; E.Rega Classic Maya Diet and Gender Relationships; J.Gerry & M.Chesson Index

Editorial Reviews

Uses case studies drawn from many different periods and areas to illuminate and develop theories on gender relations as revealed by material culture. Contributors critique traditional approaches and consider feminist and non-heterosexual gender perspectives, in papers on aspects of perspectives, social contexts for crafts and technology, artefacts and their social settings, and diet, bodies, and burial. Donald teaches history and Hurcombe teaches prehistory at the University of Exeter. Material originated at an international conference held at the University of Exeter in July 1994. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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