Capturing Ritual Practice: An attempt to harmonize archaeological method and theory
(2008) occasional papers no 36. p.159-178- Abstract
- One of the greatest challenges for the archaeology of ritual and religion is to find ways to connect theoretical developments with the archaeological record. This article explores the possibilities of synchronizing archaeological methods and theories in our search for understanding ritual in the past through a concrete case study of a Mesolithic cemetery in Southern Scandinavia. The author argues that in order to take on this challenge, it is not enough to find a useful theoretical toolbox, nor is it enough to problematize existing methods of field work and analysis. In order to complement new theoretical and critical insights, we must find and apply methods that can be articulated both with the theoretical concepts and the archaeological... (More)
- One of the greatest challenges for the archaeology of ritual and religion is to find ways to connect theoretical developments with the archaeological record. This article explores the possibilities of synchronizing archaeological methods and theories in our search for understanding ritual in the past through a concrete case study of a Mesolithic cemetery in Southern Scandinavia. The author argues that in order to take on this challenge, it is not enough to find a useful theoretical toolbox, nor is it enough to problematize existing methods of field work and analysis. In order to complement new theoretical and critical insights, we must find and apply methods that can be articulated both with the theoretical concepts and the archaeological record itself. In this article the author proposes a combination of theories of practice and embodiment with taphonomic methods of excavation and analysis that focus on recovering details of the handling of the body during the ritual, as a comprehensive approach for understanding and reflecting on mortuary ritual in archaeology. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/1266972
- author
- Nilsson Stutz, Liv LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2008
- type
- Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- ritual, archaeological method, archaeological theory, practice theory
- host publication
- Religion, Archaeology and the Material World.
- editor
- Fogelin, Lars
- volume
- occasional papers no 36
- pages
- 159 - 178
- publisher
- Center for Archaeological Investigations. Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.
- ISBN
- 978-0-88104-093-2
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 6064164b-03dd-4ff4-ba01-75e06862a6af (old id 1266972)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-04 10:14:57
- date last changed
- 2018-11-21 20:57:40
@inbook{6064164b-03dd-4ff4-ba01-75e06862a6af,
abstract = {{One of the greatest challenges for the archaeology of ritual and religion is to find ways to connect theoretical developments with the archaeological record. This article explores the possibilities of synchronizing archaeological methods and theories in our search for understanding ritual in the past through a concrete case study of a Mesolithic cemetery in Southern Scandinavia. The author argues that in order to take on this challenge, it is not enough to find a useful theoretical toolbox, nor is it enough to problematize existing methods of field work and analysis. In order to complement new theoretical and critical insights, we must find and apply methods that can be articulated both with the theoretical concepts and the archaeological record itself. In this article the author proposes a combination of theories of practice and embodiment with taphonomic methods of excavation and analysis that focus on recovering details of the handling of the body during the ritual, as a comprehensive approach for understanding and reflecting on mortuary ritual in archaeology.}},
author = {{Nilsson Stutz, Liv}},
booktitle = {{Religion, Archaeology and the Material World.}},
editor = {{Fogelin, Lars}},
isbn = {{978-0-88104-093-2}},
keywords = {{ritual; archaeological method; archaeological theory; practice theory}},
language = {{eng}},
pages = {{159--178}},
publisher = {{Center for Archaeological Investigations. Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.}},
title = {{Capturing Ritual Practice: An attempt to harmonize archaeological method and theory}},
volume = {{occasional papers no 36}},
year = {{2008}},
}