Structured deposition and the interpretation of ritual in the Near Eastern Neolithic : a new methodology
Ritual is an issue of wide importance in archaeological discourse and interpretation of the past. An understanding of ritual connects the traces of activities preserved in the archaeological record to the embodied experiences of human practice. Very few theorists have proposed methods to approach ritual, and those methodologies that do exist (e.g. Renfrew 1985; Richards and Thomas 1984) suffer from irreconcilable weaknesses. One of the primary methodologies for looking at ritual in prehistory -called Structured Deposition- has been developed in conjunction with evidence from the British Neolithic, and has barely been applied beyond this narrow field. The lack of models available for archaeologists studying ritual must be rectified, and, as previously proposed models and definitions have been inadequate in scope, there is a real need for a new method and model. This thesis introduces a new methodology in the archaeology of ritual, using the Neolithic of the Near East as a case study. Through a focus on the methodological element of studying ritual, a subsidiary goal of a better understanding of ritual in the Near East can be reached. Other subsidiary goals are to provide a logically valid basis from which to
Hughes, Erica
CC Archaeology
Structured deposition and the interpretation of ritual in the Near Eastern Neolithic : a new methodology. Ritual is an issue of wide importance in archaeological discourse and interpretation of the past. An understanding of ritual connects the traces of activities preserved in the archaeological record to the embodied experiences of human practice. Very few theorists have proposed methods to approach ritual, and those methodologies that do exist (e.g. Renfrew 1985; Richards and Thomas 1984) suffer from irreconcilable weaknesses. One of the primary methodologies for looking at ritual in prehistory -called Structured Deposition- has been developed in conjunction with evidence from the British Neolithic, and has barely been applied beyond this narrow field. The lack of models available for archaeologists studying ritual must be rectified, and, as previously proposed models and definitions have been inadequate in scope, there is a real need for a new method and model. This thesis introduces a new methodology in the archaeology of ritual, using the Neolithic of the Near East as a case study. Through a focus on the methodological element of studying ritual, a subsidiary goal of a better understanding of ritual in the Near East can be reached. Other subsidiary goals are to provide a logically valid basis from which to
structured_deposition interpretation ritual near_eastern neolithic new_methodology ritual issue wide importance archaeological_discourse interpretation past ritual connects trace_activity preserve archaeological_record embody_experience human practice theorist propose method ritual methodology exist thomas suffer weakness primary methodology look ritual prehistory called structured deposition develop conjunction evidence british_neolithic barely apply beyond narrow field lack model available archaeologist study ritual must rectify previously_propose model definition inadequate scope real need new_method model introduces new archaeology ritual use neolithic_near_east case_study focus methodological element study ritual subsidiary goal well ritual near_east reach subsidiary goal_provide logically valid basis