Axe-heads and identity : an investigation into the roles of imported axe-heads in identity formation in Neolithic Britain
This thesis addresses the significance accorded, past and present, to those axe-heads of flint and stone that were imported to Britain from the Continent. It starts from the premise that this poorly understood body of material has been overlooked and has been made effectively âperipheralâ in Neolithic studies, particularly over the past five decades or so. This is due to the insularity of British Neolithic scholarship as a reaction against the invasion hypothesis and diffusionist models. The aim of the study is to redress this imbalance, pulling material back into focus, establishing a secure evidential base and exploring the likely conditions in which these often distinctive items made their way across the water. The work presented here rests upon the argument that these âimportedâ axe-heads of flint and stone made their way into what is today called Britain as objects of considerable significance. Specifically, they were items of high symbolic value that played a crucial role in fostering the particular ways of thinking about, and addressing, social identity that are associated with the Neolithic. These issues are effectively the intellectual or academic context or background for the project, whose
Walker, Katharine
CC Archaeology
Axe-heads and identity : an investigation into the roles of imported axe-heads in identity formation in Neolithic Britain. This thesis addresses the significance accorded, past and present, to those axe-heads of flint and stone that were imported to Britain from the Continent. It starts from the premise that this poorly understood body of material has been overlooked and has been made effectively âperipheralâ in Neolithic studies, particularly over the past five decades or so. This is due to the insularity of British Neolithic scholarship as a reaction against the invasion hypothesis and diffusionist models. The aim of the study is to redress this imbalance, pulling material back into focus, establishing a secure evidential base and exploring the likely conditions in which these often distinctive items made their way across the water. The work presented here rests upon the argument that these âimportedâ axe-heads of flint and stone made their way into what is today called Britain as objects of considerable significance. Specifically, they were items of high symbolic value that played a crucial role in fostering the particular ways of thinking about, and addressing, social identity that are associated with the Neolithic. These issues are effectively the intellectual or academic context or background for the project, whose
axe identity investigation role import axe identity_formation neolithic britain address significance accord past_present axe flint stone import britain_continent start_premise poorly_understood body material overlook make effectively peripheral neolithic study due insularity british_neolithic scholarship reaction invasion hypothesis model aim_study redress_imbalance pull material back focus establish secure evidential base explore likely condition often distinctive item make_way across water work_present rest_upon argument import axe flint stone make_way today call britain object considerable significance specifically item high symbolic value play_crucial_role foster particular way_thinking address social_identity associate neolithic issue effectively intellectual academic_context background project whose