Land and people, nature and knowledge : environment, subsistence and the sacred, in the transition to farming on Exmoor
The main subject of the thesis is the transition to agricultural in north-west Europe. The transition is studied primarily from the perspective of Mesolithic hunter-gatherer groups, and the thesis suggests that the significance of Mesolithic cultural practices and religious beliefs in the process has been underestimated. This is because the philosophical basis of many approaches establishes a theoretical division between models of Mesolithic and Neolithic communities both in terms of their respective cultural characteristics, and as a consequence in the way that they are studied. Alternative theoretical approaches that seek to overcome this intellectual division are assessed. The study then considers ethnographic evidence of modern small-scale, non-industrial societies, concentrating on the relationship between people and the environment, subsistence practices and religious beliefs, and the integration of these factors with the landscape and sacred places. This prompts an analysis of current interpretations of religious beliefs in which it is argued that we may have missed their real significance. The theoretical and ethnographic evidence provides the framework for modelling prehistoric populations, and is
Berry, Nicholas
Land and people, nature and knowledge : environment, subsistence and the sacred, in the transition to farming on Exmoor. The main subject of the thesis is the transition to agricultural in north-west Europe. The transition is studied primarily from the perspective of Mesolithic hunter-gatherer groups, and the thesis suggests that the significance of Mesolithic cultural practices and religious beliefs in the process has been underestimated. This is because the philosophical basis of many approaches establishes a theoretical division between models of Mesolithic and Neolithic communities both in terms of their respective cultural characteristics, and as a consequence in the way that they are studied. Alternative theoretical approaches that seek to overcome this intellectual division are assessed. The study then considers ethnographic evidence of modern small-scale, non-industrial societies, concentrating on the relationship between people and the environment, subsistence practices and religious beliefs, and the integration of these factors with the landscape and sacred places. This prompts an analysis of current interpretations of religious beliefs in which it is argued that we may have missed their real significance. The theoretical and ethnographic evidence provides the framework for modelling prehistoric populations, and is
land people nature knowledge environment subsistence sacred transition farm main subject transition agricultural north_west europe transition study primarily perspective mesolithic_hunter gatherer group suggest significance mesolithic cultural_practice religious_belief process underestimate philosophical_basis many approach establishes theoretical division model mesolithic_neolithic community term respective cultural characteristic consequence way study alternative theoretical_approach seek overcome intellectual division assess study_considers ethnographic evidence modern small_scale non industrial_society concentrate relationship_people environment subsistence_practice religious_belief integration factor landscape sacred place prompt analysis current interpretation religious_belief argue may miss real significance theoretical ethnographic evidence provide_framework model prehistoric_population