From longhouse to stone rows : the competitive assertion of ancestral affinities
The centrepiece of this thesis is a comparative study of the stone rows of Dartmoor and northern Scotland, a rare, putatively Bronze Age megalithic typology. It is argued that these should be defined as cairn-and-rows monuments that âsymboliseâ long mounds, and avenues in the case of Dartmoor â a circumstance that âexplainsâ the interregional similarities; other aspects of their semantic structures are also analysed using rigorous semiotic theory. An evolutionary approach is taken, drawing on biological theory to explain the active role of these monuments in social evolution, and to understand the processes at work in producing long term change in monument traditions. New theory is developed for analysing such archaeological sequences, and for understanding and explaining material culture in general. The concepts of adaptation and environment in archaeological theory to date are criticised, and environmental construction theory, and aspects of the Extended Phenotype theory, are forwarded as alternatives. The local sequences are contextualised by examining European megalithic origins, tracing the long mound âconceptâ back to the Bandkeramik longhouses. The question of diffusion or convergence
Carnes, Alexander
CC Archaeology ; G Geography (General) ; GN Anthropology ; H Social Sciences (General)
From longhouse to stone rows : the competitive assertion of ancestral affinities. The centrepiece of this thesis is a comparative study of the stone rows of Dartmoor and northern Scotland, a rare, putatively Bronze Age megalithic typology. It is argued that these should be defined as cairn-and-rows monuments that âsymboliseâ long mounds, and avenues in the case of Dartmoor â a circumstance that âexplainsâ the interregional similarities; other aspects of their semantic structures are also analysed using rigorous semiotic theory. An evolutionary approach is taken, drawing on biological theory to explain the active role of these monuments in social evolution, and to understand the processes at work in producing long term change in monument traditions. New theory is developed for analysing such archaeological sequences, and for understanding and explaining material culture in general. The concepts of adaptation and environment in archaeological theory to date are criticised, and environmental construction theory, and aspects of the Extended Phenotype theory, are forwarded as alternatives. The local sequences are contextualised by examining European megalithic origins, tracing the long mound âconceptâ back to the Bandkeramik longhouses. The question of diffusion or convergence
stone row competitive assertion ancestral affinity comparative_study stone row northern_scotland rare bronze_age megalithic typology argue define cairn and monument symbolise long mound avenue case circumstance explain interregional similarity aspect semantic_structure also analyse_use rigorous semiotic theory evolutionary take draw biological theory explain active_role monument social evolution process work produce long_term change monument tradition new theory develop analyse archaeological_sequence explain material_culture general concept adaptation environment archaeological_theory date criticise environmental construction theory aspect extended theory forward alternative local sequence contextualised examine european megalithic origin trace long mound concept back question diffusion convergence