Mining and materiality in the British Neolithic
This thesis considers flint mines and their deposits within the early to late Neolithic in southern Britain. It proposes that flint mines have been perceived as peripheral to the wider changes that occurred during the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition, and that their deposits have suffered in equal terms from a lack of inclusion in discourses about the period. The theoretical argument aims to demonstrate that chalk art. artefacts and natural substances were a material component of Neolithic life and need to be fully integrated into our analytical categories within archaeology. This is achieved by addressing the overriding emphasis on functionality in interpretations of material culture, which it is argued has inhibited our acceptance of these important classes of material as archaeological evidence. A venues are proposed to overcome these concerns, specifically using materiality as the framing concept for an integrated approach to substances, artefacts and monumentality. These ideas are applied to an analysis of chalk art, the placement of chalk artefacts and natural substances, and the nature of architecture in southern British Neolithic flint mines. Through this, mining sites are suggested to be monumental
Teather, Anne Mary
Mining and materiality in the British Neolithic. This thesis considers flint mines and their deposits within the early to late Neolithic in southern Britain. It proposes that flint mines have been perceived as peripheral to the wider changes that occurred during the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition, and that their deposits have suffered in equal terms from a lack of inclusion in discourses about the period. The theoretical argument aims to demonstrate that chalk art. artefacts and natural substances were a material component of Neolithic life and need to be fully integrated into our analytical categories within archaeology. This is achieved by addressing the overriding emphasis on functionality in interpretations of material culture, which it is argued has inhibited our acceptance of these important classes of material as archaeological evidence. A venues are proposed to overcome these concerns, specifically using materiality as the framing concept for an integrated approach to substances, artefacts and monumentality. These ideas are applied to an analysis of chalk art, the placement of chalk artefacts and natural substances, and the nature of architecture in southern British Neolithic flint mines. Through this, mining sites are suggested to be monumental
mining materiality british_neolithic considers flint mine deposit_within early_late neolithic southern britain proposes flint mine perceive peripheral wider change_occur mesolithic_neolithic_transition deposit suffer equal term lack inclusion discourse period theoretical argument aim chalk art artefact natural substance material component neolithic life need fully_integrated analytical category within_archaeology achieve address override emphasis functionality interpretation material_culture argue acceptance important class material archaeological_evidence venue propose overcome concern specifically use materiality frame concept integrated substance artefact monumentality idea apply analysis chalk art placement chalk artefacts natural substance nature architecture southern british_neolithic flint mine mine site suggest monumental