Life with the stones : monuments, fields, settlement and social practice : revealing the hidden Neolithic-Early Bronze Age landscapes of Exmoor, SW Britain
This thesis characterizes and interprets the nature of Exmoorâs late 3rd and early 2nd millennium BC landscapes, including an unusual array of âminilithicâ stone configurations. It develops a new theoretical framework using an ontology of assemblages, the concept of affectivity and perspectives on miniaturisation and scale, adopting a Deleuzian understanding of materiality. This promotes an exploration of the processes which led to the appearance, use and dispersal of archaeological entities as assemblages. It includes all forms of peopleâs interactions with materials, monuments, material culture (lithics) and landscapes; questioning the value of classificatory approaches and studying such themes as monumentality in isolation. The first detailed study of the lithic collections explores how the ontological significance of stone developed over millennia, leading to the emergence of upright stone configurations in the landscape. A detailed synthesis of the available archaeological evidence from excavation, survey, HER and museum datasets is then presented focusing on three case study zones, with entirely new interpretations developed for key sites at multiple scales. It then goes on to explore their wider
Mitcham, Douglas James
Life with the stones : monuments, fields, settlement and social practice : revealing the hidden Neolithic-Early Bronze Age landscapes of Exmoor, SW Britain. This thesis characterizes and interprets the nature of Exmoorâs late 3rd and early 2nd millennium BC landscapes, including an unusual array of âminilithicâ stone configurations. It develops a new theoretical framework using an ontology of assemblages, the concept of affectivity and perspectives on miniaturisation and scale, adopting a Deleuzian understanding of materiality. This promotes an exploration of the processes which led to the appearance, use and dispersal of archaeological entities as assemblages. It includes all forms of peopleâs interactions with materials, monuments, material culture (lithics) and landscapes; questioning the value of classificatory approaches and studying such themes as monumentality in isolation. The first detailed study of the lithic collections explores how the ontological significance of stone developed over millennia, leading to the emergence of upright stone configurations in the landscape. A detailed synthesis of the available archaeological evidence from excavation, survey, HER and museum datasets is then presented focusing on three case study zones, with entirely new interpretations developed for key sites at multiple scales. It then goes on to explore their wider
life stone monument field settlement social_practice revealing hidden landscape britain characterize interprets nature landscape include unusual array stone configuration develop_new theoretical_framework use ontology assemblage concept affectivity perspectives miniaturisation scale adopt deleuzian materiality promotes exploration_process lead appearance use dispersal archaeological entity assemblage include form people interaction material monument material_culture lithics landscape question value classificatory approach study theme monumentality isolation first detail_study lithic collection explore ontological significance stone develop millennium lead_emergence stone configuration landscape detailed synthesis available_archaeological evidence excavation_survey museum datasets present focus three_case_study zone entirely_new interpretation develop key_site multiple scale explore wider