Reframing the Neolithic
In advancing a critical examination of post-processualism, the thesis has â as its central aim â the repositioning of the Neolithic within contemporary archaeological theory. Whilst acknowledging the insights it brings to an understanding of the period, it is argued that the knowledge it produces is necessarily constrained by the emphasis it accords to the cultural. Thus, in terms of the transition, the symbolic reading of agriculture to construct a metanarrative of Mesolithic continuity is challenged through a consideration of the evidential base and the indications it gives for a corresponding movement at the level of the economy; whilst the limiting effects generated by an interpretative reading of its monuments for an understanding of the social are considered. Underpinning these constraints is the conceptual privileging of the individual consequent upon the post-processual reaction to the totalising frameworks of modernist knowledge and the metanarratives of progress they construct â as exemplified in the economic reading of Childe. In examining the form of this reaction, the wider post-processual transposition of postmodernism within contemporary archaeological theory is also considered. In utilising
Spicer, Nigel Christopher
Post-processualism ; Neolithic, Metanarrative ; Individual ; Postmodernism ; Reflexivity ; Epistemology ; Enlightenment ; Modernity ; Holistic
Reframing the Neolithic. In advancing a critical examination of post-processualism, the thesis has â as its central aim â the repositioning of the Neolithic within contemporary archaeological theory. Whilst acknowledging the insights it brings to an understanding of the period, it is argued that the knowledge it produces is necessarily constrained by the emphasis it accords to the cultural. Thus, in terms of the transition, the symbolic reading of agriculture to construct a metanarrative of Mesolithic continuity is challenged through a consideration of the evidential base and the indications it gives for a corresponding movement at the level of the economy; whilst the limiting effects generated by an interpretative reading of its monuments for an understanding of the social are considered. Underpinning these constraints is the conceptual privileging of the individual consequent upon the post-processual reaction to the totalising frameworks of modernist knowledge and the metanarratives of progress they construct â as exemplified in the economic reading of Childe. In examining the form of this reaction, the wider post-processual transposition of postmodernism within contemporary archaeological theory is also considered. In utilising
reframing neolithic advance critical_examination post central aim reposition neolithic within_contemporary archaeological_theory whilst acknowledge insight brings period argue knowledge produce necessarily constrain emphasis accord cultural thus term transition symbolic reading agriculture construct metanarrative mesolithic continuity challenge consideration evidential base indication give correspond movement level economy whilst limit effect generate interpretative reading monument social consider underpinning constraint conceptual privilege individual consequent_upon post_processual reaction framework modernist knowledge progress construct economic reading examine form reaction wide post_processual postmodernism within_contemporary archaeological_theory also_consider utilise