The cultural lives of domestic objects in Late Antiquity
This thesis investigates evidence for the cultural lives of domestic objects in Late Antiquity. As such, it focuses on objects as meaningful possessions, rather than their practical, utilitarian functions. In particular, this research seeks to reveal the personal meaning for domestic possessions and their sentimental, as opposed to economic, value. This is something that has either been ignored or mentioned only in passing and without further qualification in existing studies of late antique material culture. This research is underpinned by specific theoretical approaches from the disciplines of archaeology, art history and anthropology. Object biography, or the understanding that events in the lives of objects can affect their meaning and value, is key to this investigation and provides the opportunity to approach the material evidence in a novel way. It allows the direct comparison of previously disparate textual and archaeological sources to better understand the relationships between people and their possessions across a broad social spectrum. It also governs the structure of the thesis, which has chapters on heirlooms, gifts, and souvenirs â all of which are defined by an element of their biography,
Stoner, Jo
CB History of civilization ; CC Archaeology
The cultural lives of domestic objects in Late Antiquity. This thesis investigates evidence for the cultural lives of domestic objects in Late Antiquity. As such, it focuses on objects as meaningful possessions, rather than their practical, utilitarian functions. In particular, this research seeks to reveal the personal meaning for domestic possessions and their sentimental, as opposed to economic, value. This is something that has either been ignored or mentioned only in passing and without further qualification in existing studies of late antique material culture. This research is underpinned by specific theoretical approaches from the disciplines of archaeology, art history and anthropology. Object biography, or the understanding that events in the lives of objects can affect their meaning and value, is key to this investigation and provides the opportunity to approach the material evidence in a novel way. It allows the direct comparison of previously disparate textual and archaeological sources to better understand the relationships between people and their possessions across a broad social spectrum. It also governs the structure of the thesis, which has chapters on heirlooms, gifts, and souvenirs â all of which are defined by an element of their biography,
cultural live domestic object late_antiquity investigate evidence cultural life domestic object late_antiquity focus object meaningful possession rather practical utilitarian function particular seek reveal personal meaning domestic possession opposed economic value something either ignore mention pass without qualification exist study late_antique material_culture underpinned specific theoretical_approach discipline_archaeology art_history anthropology object_biography event live object affect mean_value key investigation provide_opportunity material_evidence novel_way allows direct comparison previously disparate textual_archaeological source well relationship_people possession across broad_social spectrum also govern structure gift define element biography