Identity as social practice in the funerary sites of central Apennine Italy ( Samnium) 6th-3rd centuries BC
The aim of this study is to reconsider the notion of a cohesive ethnic or cultural identity in the area of Italy known as 'Samnium', by analysing the diversity of social practices and cultural dispositions of communities. This is iritended to contribute to the changing picture of culture and society in this region of Italy between the sixth and third centuries Be. It is my argument that, instead of broad cultural commonalities supporting a cohesive cultural identity in Samnium, archaeological evidence in the region suggests the prominence and continuity of geographically bounded social practices and. their underlying cultural dispositions. As the archaeological evidence is predominantly mortuary, focus will be placed on social practices which pertain primarily but not exclusively to the mortuary context. These practices refer to types and styles of consumption, gender relations, and the construction of funerary space, in terms of familial segregation within funerary sites and the signalling of the dead in the landscape. Overall, the diversity of such practices will be seen to constitute a long term contrast between two broad areas of Samnium, Adriatic Molise and the Apennine hinterland. This will shed some
Scopacasa, Rafael
Identity as social practice in the funerary sites of central Apennine Italy ( Samnium) 6th-3rd centuries BC. The aim of this study is to reconsider the notion of a cohesive ethnic or cultural identity in the area of Italy known as 'Samnium', by analysing the diversity of social practices and cultural dispositions of communities. This is iritended to contribute to the changing picture of culture and society in this region of Italy between the sixth and third centuries Be. It is my argument that, instead of broad cultural commonalities supporting a cohesive cultural identity in Samnium, archaeological evidence in the region suggests the prominence and continuity of geographically bounded social practices and. their underlying cultural dispositions. As the archaeological evidence is predominantly mortuary, focus will be placed on social practices which pertain primarily but not exclusively to the mortuary context. These practices refer to types and styles of consumption, gender relations, and the construction of funerary space, in terms of familial segregation within funerary sites and the signalling of the dead in the landscape. Overall, the diversity of such practices will be seen to constitute a long term contrast between two broad areas of Samnium, Adriatic Molise and the Apennine hinterland. This will shed some
identity social_practice funerary_site central italy aim_study reconsider notion cohesive ethnic_cultural identity area italy know analyse diversity social_practice cultural disposition community contribute change picture culture society region italy argument instead broad_cultural commonality support cohesive cultural_identity archaeological_evidence region suggest prominence continuity geographically bound social_practice and underlie cultural disposition archaeological_evidence predominantly mortuary focus place social_practice pertain primarily exclusively mortuary_context practice refer type style consumption gender_relation construction funerary space term familial segregation within funerary_site signal dead landscape overall diversity practice see constitute long_term contrast two_broad area adriatic hinterland shed