© 2009 International Institute of Anthropology
© 2009 Reports of Prehistoric Research Projects
© 2009 The authors
© 2009 Reports of Prehistoric Research Projects
© 2009 The authors
| Approach to Enculturation in Prehistory and in Present 60th Birth Anniversary of Ian Hodder Complied and edited by Lolita Nikolova and Ernst Pernicka Reports of Prehistoric Research Projects 9 (2009) in collaboration with Stratum, Chisinau, Moldova Contents |
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New Research Project
Being in the World: Perceptions of the Body and Identity from
the Earliest Villages to State Societies
Dr Karina Croucher
British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow, University of
Manchester, Manchester, UK
I am delighted and honoured to announce the commencement of my
three-year postdoctoral research project, funded by the British
Academy, on Being in the World: Perceptions of the body and identity
from the earliest villages to state societies. The socio-economic changes
during the prehistoric and early historic periods are already well
documented; these changes will be approached from an alternative
perspective, focusing on the human body as a tool for recognising and
further understanding social change.
Through the use of case studies, the project will investigate concepts
of the body and identity from the Natufian to Early States in the Near
East. This will investigate mortuary practices, the body's visual
representation, textual documentation, performative use, and role in the
construction of personal and social identities.
Whilst there is undoubtedly a wealth of material to draw on, I am
keen to focus on particular case-studies, enabling in-depth analysis of
primary and secondary excavation data; I maintain that theoretical
developments and interpretations need to be rooted in rigorous attention
to detail and analysis of archaeological material and data, and advocate
a bottom-up approach to studying the past, beginning with the
small-scale. Thus individual sites and features will be chosen for analysis
within the following broad periods of study:
Phase a) The Natufian and the earliest Neolithic periods, traditionally
studied for a shift from mobile to increasingly sedentary behaviour.
Material studied will focus on mortuary practices, bodily adornment and
decoration, as well as human/animal relationships.
Phase b) Later Neolithic periods. As well as the established
presence of agriculture, the Later Neolithic periods are usually studied
for evidence of rising hierarchical complexities, especially changes in
architecture and material culture, and ritual stratification (such as through
the Skull Cult). A study of the body will not only re-address the Skull Cult,
drawing on existing research by others which challenges the notion of
'Ancestor Worship', but will additionally address the evidence for a
growing fragmentation and de-individualisation in the mortuary arena,
with the disarticulation, and possible circulation, of human remains and
material culture, and comparable treatment of humans and animals in the
mortuary domain. In addition, there is evidence for cranial modification
and defining of the lived body during this period.
Phase c) The Ubaid-Ur III periods witness the rise of urbanism and
the earliest city-states. In addition to the wealth of archaeological
material available from these periods, textual sources enable the study
of concepts such as mortality and immortality, and discussions of
sexuality. Representations of the body become more naturalistic, and we
see their use in images for propaganda and power struggles, including
displays of the treatment of prisoners-of-war and slaves. This material
has implications for studies of the body in the context of social change,
especially with regard to issues of power and identity construction.
Inevitably in a study of the body and 'being in the world', the project
will investigate peoples' engagements with each other, the dead, as well
as with animals, material culture, the landscape, and their interactions
with the environment.
I would like to thank the British Academy and the University of
Manchester for enabling this project, as well as all those who have aided
me in my research so far. I thank you for your continued support, and
look forward to sharing the results of this research with everyone soon. I
also appreciate any comments, suggestions and feedback from my
peers and those more senior and experienced than myself - I recognise
that a significant task lies ahead and I welcome any comments,
suggestions and support.
Contact details:
Dr. Karina Croucher
British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow
Archaeology, School of Arts, Histories and Cultures
Mansfield Cooper Building, Room 4.08a
University of Manchester
Oxford Road
Manchester M13 9PL
e: karina.croucher@manchester.ac.uk
t: +44 (0)161 306 1815
m: +44 (0)7808 292 440
Being in the World: Perceptions of the Body and Identity from
the Earliest Villages to State Societies
Dr Karina Croucher
British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow, University of
Manchester, Manchester, UK
I am delighted and honoured to announce the commencement of my
three-year postdoctoral research project, funded by the British
Academy, on Being in the World: Perceptions of the body and identity
from the earliest villages to state societies. The socio-economic changes
during the prehistoric and early historic periods are already well
documented; these changes will be approached from an alternative
perspective, focusing on the human body as a tool for recognising and
further understanding social change.
Through the use of case studies, the project will investigate concepts
of the body and identity from the Natufian to Early States in the Near
East. This will investigate mortuary practices, the body's visual
representation, textual documentation, performative use, and role in the
construction of personal and social identities.
Whilst there is undoubtedly a wealth of material to draw on, I am
keen to focus on particular case-studies, enabling in-depth analysis of
primary and secondary excavation data; I maintain that theoretical
developments and interpretations need to be rooted in rigorous attention
to detail and analysis of archaeological material and data, and advocate
a bottom-up approach to studying the past, beginning with the
small-scale. Thus individual sites and features will be chosen for analysis
within the following broad periods of study:
Phase a) The Natufian and the earliest Neolithic periods, traditionally
studied for a shift from mobile to increasingly sedentary behaviour.
Material studied will focus on mortuary practices, bodily adornment and
decoration, as well as human/animal relationships.
Phase b) Later Neolithic periods. As well as the established
presence of agriculture, the Later Neolithic periods are usually studied
for evidence of rising hierarchical complexities, especially changes in
architecture and material culture, and ritual stratification (such as through
the Skull Cult). A study of the body will not only re-address the Skull Cult,
drawing on existing research by others which challenges the notion of
'Ancestor Worship', but will additionally address the evidence for a
growing fragmentation and de-individualisation in the mortuary arena,
with the disarticulation, and possible circulation, of human remains and
material culture, and comparable treatment of humans and animals in the
mortuary domain. In addition, there is evidence for cranial modification
and defining of the lived body during this period.
Phase c) The Ubaid-Ur III periods witness the rise of urbanism and
the earliest city-states. In addition to the wealth of archaeological
material available from these periods, textual sources enable the study
of concepts such as mortality and immortality, and discussions of
sexuality. Representations of the body become more naturalistic, and we
see their use in images for propaganda and power struggles, including
displays of the treatment of prisoners-of-war and slaves. This material
has implications for studies of the body in the context of social change,
especially with regard to issues of power and identity construction.
Inevitably in a study of the body and 'being in the world', the project
will investigate peoples' engagements with each other, the dead, as well
as with animals, material culture, the landscape, and their interactions
with the environment.
I would like to thank the British Academy and the University of
Manchester for enabling this project, as well as all those who have aided
me in my research so far. I thank you for your continued support, and
look forward to sharing the results of this research with everyone soon. I
also appreciate any comments, suggestions and feedback from my
peers and those more senior and experienced than myself - I recognise
that a significant task lies ahead and I welcome any comments,
suggestions and support.
Contact details:
Dr. Karina Croucher
British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow
Archaeology, School of Arts, Histories and Cultures
Mansfield Cooper Building, Room 4.08a
University of Manchester
Oxford Road
Manchester M13 9PL
e: karina.croucher@manchester.ac.uk
t: +44 (0)161 306 1815
m: +44 (0)7808 292 440
Domuztepe, courtesy of Stuart Campbell.