An archaeological study of Neolithic Orkney : architecture, order and social classification
Orkney has always been reowned for the high quality of its Neolithic monuments. The use of local sandstone in their construction has ensured a degree of survival unknown elsewhere in Britain. More importantly, these buildings include houses and villages, perhaps the best known being Skara Brae. Curiously, this aspect of the archaeological resource has tended to be ignored in any analytical sense, and the domestic structures assume a merely descriptive role in discussions of social organisation and its change through time. Here a more positive stance is taken towards all forms of Neolithic buildings with particular emphasis placed on attempting to understand the cosmologically derived principles of classification and order inherent within their architecture. Thus, much of this thesis is involved with a detailed examination of architecture and its spatial representation. However, to understand the more subtle aspects of spatial organisation a more subjective approach is advanced in which the movement and activities of people (including myself), at particular places and times, is of central importance. Since social practices determine spatial meaning, other aspects of material culture, it manufacture, use and
Richards, Colin
CC Archaeology
An archaeological study of Neolithic Orkney : architecture, order and social classification. Orkney has always been reowned for the high quality of its Neolithic monuments. The use of local sandstone in their construction has ensured a degree of survival unknown elsewhere in Britain. More importantly, these buildings include houses and villages, perhaps the best known being Skara Brae. Curiously, this aspect of the archaeological resource has tended to be ignored in any analytical sense, and the domestic structures assume a merely descriptive role in discussions of social organisation and its change through time. Here a more positive stance is taken towards all forms of Neolithic buildings with particular emphasis placed on attempting to understand the cosmologically derived principles of classification and order inherent within their architecture. Thus, much of this thesis is involved with a detailed examination of architecture and its spatial representation. However, to understand the more subtle aspects of spatial organisation a more subjective approach is advanced in which the movement and activities of people (including myself), at particular places and times, is of central importance. Since social practices determine spatial meaning, other aspects of material culture, it manufacture, use and
archaeological_study neolithic orkney architecture order social classification orkney always high_quality neolithic monument use local construction ensure degree survival unknown elsewhere britain importantly building include house village perhaps best_know aspect archaeological_resource tend ignored analytical sense domestic_structure assume merely descriptive role discussion social_organisation change_time positive stance_take towards form neolithic building particular_emphasis_place attempt derive principle classification order inherent within architecture thus much involve detailed_examination architecture spatial representation however subtle aspect spatial_organisation subjective advance movement activity people include particular place time central_importance since social_practice determine spatial meaning aspects material_culture manufacture_use