Excavating the Mind

Excavating the Mind

Author: Helle Juel Jensen

Publisher: Aarhus Universitetsforlag

Published: 2012-05-31

Total Pages: 347

ISBN-13: 877124428X

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Excavating the Mind deals with the relationship between the material culture of humans, i.e. our technologies, arts and environments, and our mental worlds. Emphasizing the close interdependence of mind and matter, the volume resonates with current developments within sociology, psychology and the cognitive sciences, yet it aims to supplement the focus on modern, predominantly Western societies and individuals with studies of different cultural contexts and processes in the evolutionary and historical past as well as the ethnographic present. With contributions from cognitive and social archaeology as well as anthropology, semiotics and the history of religion, the book combines well-illustrated case studies covering a wide chronological and geographic span - from Neolithic Europe to the present-day South Pacific - with incisive discussion of particular theoretical issues in the study of mind and material culture. Excavating the Mind is an original contribution to the multidisciplinary debate on the uniquely human entanglement of complex material cultures and mental worlds.


Book Synopsis Excavating the Mind by : Helle Juel Jensen

Download or read book Excavating the Mind written by Helle Juel Jensen and published by Aarhus Universitetsforlag. This book was released on 2012-05-31 with total page 347 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Excavating the Mind deals with the relationship between the material culture of humans, i.e. our technologies, arts and environments, and our mental worlds. Emphasizing the close interdependence of mind and matter, the volume resonates with current developments within sociology, psychology and the cognitive sciences, yet it aims to supplement the focus on modern, predominantly Western societies and individuals with studies of different cultural contexts and processes in the evolutionary and historical past as well as the ethnographic present. With contributions from cognitive and social archaeology as well as anthropology, semiotics and the history of religion, the book combines well-illustrated case studies covering a wide chronological and geographic span - from Neolithic Europe to the present-day South Pacific - with incisive discussion of particular theoretical issues in the study of mind and material culture. Excavating the Mind is an original contribution to the multidisciplinary debate on the uniquely human entanglement of complex material cultures and mental worlds.

Excavating Indiana Jones

Excavating Indiana Jones

Author: Randy Laist

Publisher: McFarland

Published: 2020-04-03

Total Pages: 219

ISBN-13: 1476639728

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With his signature bullwhip and fedora, the rousing sounds of his orchestral anthem, and his eventful explorations into the arcana of world religions, Indiana Jones--archeologist, adventurer, and ophidiophobe--has become one of the most recognizable heroes of the big screen. Since his debut in the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones has gone on to anchor several sequels, and a fifth film is currently in development. At the same time, the character has spilled out into multiple multimedia manifestations and has become a familiar icon within the collective cultural imagination. Despite the longevity and popularity of the Indiana Jones franchise, however, it has rarely been the focus of sustained criticism. In Excavating Indiana Jones, a collection of international scholars analyzes Indiana Jones tales from a variety of perspectives, examining the films' representation of history, cultural politics, and identity, and also tracing the adaptation of the franchise into comic books, video games, and theme park attractions.


Book Synopsis Excavating Indiana Jones by : Randy Laist

Download or read book Excavating Indiana Jones written by Randy Laist and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2020-04-03 with total page 219 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With his signature bullwhip and fedora, the rousing sounds of his orchestral anthem, and his eventful explorations into the arcana of world religions, Indiana Jones--archeologist, adventurer, and ophidiophobe--has become one of the most recognizable heroes of the big screen. Since his debut in the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones has gone on to anchor several sequels, and a fifth film is currently in development. At the same time, the character has spilled out into multiple multimedia manifestations and has become a familiar icon within the collective cultural imagination. Despite the longevity and popularity of the Indiana Jones franchise, however, it has rarely been the focus of sustained criticism. In Excavating Indiana Jones, a collection of international scholars analyzes Indiana Jones tales from a variety of perspectives, examining the films' representation of history, cultural politics, and identity, and also tracing the adaptation of the franchise into comic books, video games, and theme park attractions.

Excavating the Memory Palace

Excavating the Memory Palace

Author: Seth Long

Publisher: University of Chicago Press

Published: 2020-12-14

Total Pages: 254

ISBN-13: 022669528X

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With the prevalence of smartphones, massive data storage, and search engines, we might think of today as the height of the information age. In reality, every era has faced its own challenges of storing, organizing, and accessing information. While they lacked digital devices, our ancestors, when faced with information overload, utilized some of the same techniques that underlie our modern interfaces: they visualized and spatialized data, tying it to the emotional and sensory spaces of memory, thereby turning their minds into a visual interface for accessing information. In Excavating the Memory Palace, Seth David Long mines the history of Europe’s arts of memory to find the origins of today’s data visualizations, unearthing how ancient constructions of cognitive pathways paved the way for modern technological interfaces. Looking to techniques like the memory palace, he finds the ways that information has been tied to sensory and visual experience, turning raw data into lucid knowledge. From the icons of smart phone screens to massive network graphs, Long shows us the ancestry of the cyberscape and unveils the history of memory as a creative act.


Book Synopsis Excavating the Memory Palace by : Seth Long

Download or read book Excavating the Memory Palace written by Seth Long and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2020-12-14 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With the prevalence of smartphones, massive data storage, and search engines, we might think of today as the height of the information age. In reality, every era has faced its own challenges of storing, organizing, and accessing information. While they lacked digital devices, our ancestors, when faced with information overload, utilized some of the same techniques that underlie our modern interfaces: they visualized and spatialized data, tying it to the emotional and sensory spaces of memory, thereby turning their minds into a visual interface for accessing information. In Excavating the Memory Palace, Seth David Long mines the history of Europe’s arts of memory to find the origins of today’s data visualizations, unearthing how ancient constructions of cognitive pathways paved the way for modern technological interfaces. Looking to techniques like the memory palace, he finds the ways that information has been tied to sensory and visual experience, turning raw data into lucid knowledge. From the icons of smart phone screens to massive network graphs, Long shows us the ancestry of the cyberscape and unveils the history of memory as a creative act.

Material Agency

Material Agency

Author: Carl Knappett

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2008-12-15

Total Pages: 268

ISBN-13: 0387747117

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Thus far an ‘agent’ in the social sciences has always meant someone whose actions bring about change. In this volume, the editors challenge this position and examine the possibility that agency is not a solely human property. Instead, this collection of archaeologists, anthropologists, sociologists and other social scientists explores the symbiotic relationships between humans and material entities (a key opening a door, a speed bump raising a car) as they engage with one another.


Book Synopsis Material Agency by : Carl Knappett

Download or read book Material Agency written by Carl Knappett and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2008-12-15 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Thus far an ‘agent’ in the social sciences has always meant someone whose actions bring about change. In this volume, the editors challenge this position and examine the possibility that agency is not a solely human property. Instead, this collection of archaeologists, anthropologists, sociologists and other social scientists explores the symbiotic relationships between humans and material entities (a key opening a door, a speed bump raising a car) as they engage with one another.

Excavating English

Excavating English

Author: Ruth A. Johnston

Publisher:

Published: 2003-06-01

Total Pages: 168

ISBN-13: 9780982537732

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Excavating English is a curriculum designed for ages 12 and up. It explores the multicultural roots of the English language from 4000 BC to present day. The text provides over 150 pages of information, trivia, word games, activities and Internet links (including a playlist of supplemental videos). The first chapters give an introduction to linguistics, phonetics and phonology. The text then traces English from the shores of the Black Sea (Proto-Indo-European) through the history of the Germanic peoples, the Danes, the Anglo-Saxons, the Normans, and the great wordsmiths of the Renaissance. The history continues as English crosses the ocean to America, then is influenced by immigrants from all over the world. The text is not only informative, but is lively and interesting, and the activities included after each chapter make the curriculum very interactive.


Book Synopsis Excavating English by : Ruth A. Johnston

Download or read book Excavating English written by Ruth A. Johnston and published by . This book was released on 2003-06-01 with total page 168 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Excavating English is a curriculum designed for ages 12 and up. It explores the multicultural roots of the English language from 4000 BC to present day. The text provides over 150 pages of information, trivia, word games, activities and Internet links (including a playlist of supplemental videos). The first chapters give an introduction to linguistics, phonetics and phonology. The text then traces English from the shores of the Black Sea (Proto-Indo-European) through the history of the Germanic peoples, the Danes, the Anglo-Saxons, the Normans, and the great wordsmiths of the Renaissance. The history continues as English crosses the ocean to America, then is influenced by immigrants from all over the world. The text is not only informative, but is lively and interesting, and the activities included after each chapter make the curriculum very interactive.

Cultural Neuroscience: Cultural Influences on Brain Function

Cultural Neuroscience: Cultural Influences on Brain Function

Author: Juan Y. Chiao

Publisher: Elsevier

Published: 2009-11-25

Total Pages: 328

ISBN-13: 0080952216

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This volume presents recent empirical advances using neuroscience techniques to investigate how culture influences neural processes underlying a wide range of human abilities, from perception and scene processing to memory and social cognition. It also highlights the theoretical and methodological issues with conducting cultural neuroscience research. Section I provides diverse theoretical perspectives on how culture and biology interact are represented. Sections II –VI is to demonstrate how cultural values, beliefs, practices and experience affect neural systems underlying a wide range of human behavior from perception and cognition to emotion, social cognition and decision-making. The final section presents arguments for integrating the study of culture and the human brain by providing an explicit articulation of how the study of culture can inform the study of the brain and vice versa.


Book Synopsis Cultural Neuroscience: Cultural Influences on Brain Function by : Juan Y. Chiao

Download or read book Cultural Neuroscience: Cultural Influences on Brain Function written by Juan Y. Chiao and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2009-11-25 with total page 328 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume presents recent empirical advances using neuroscience techniques to investigate how culture influences neural processes underlying a wide range of human abilities, from perception and scene processing to memory and social cognition. It also highlights the theoretical and methodological issues with conducting cultural neuroscience research. Section I provides diverse theoretical perspectives on how culture and biology interact are represented. Sections II –VI is to demonstrate how cultural values, beliefs, practices and experience affect neural systems underlying a wide range of human behavior from perception and cognition to emotion, social cognition and decision-making. The final section presents arguments for integrating the study of culture and the human brain by providing an explicit articulation of how the study of culture can inform the study of the brain and vice versa.

Excavating Çatalhöyük

Excavating Çatalhöyük

Author: Ian Hodder

Publisher: British Institute at Ankara

Published: 2017-10-01

Total Pages: 644

ISBN-13: 191209052X

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Ian Hodder’s campaigns of excavation at the world-famous Neolithic settlement of Çatalhöyük are one of the largest, most complex, and most exciting archaeological field projects in the world and recognized as agenda-setting not only in terms of our understanding of early farming communities in the Near East, particularly the central role religion played in their daily lives, but also in terms of the interaction between theory and practice in the trenches and on-site laboratories. This volume presents the results of excavation in three areas of the site, known as South, North, and KOPAL, excavated between 1995 and 1999. The book describes aspects of the excavation, recording and sampling methodologies that are necessary for an understanding of the results presented plus it incorporates interpretive discussion. It brings in data from the study of animal bones, lithics, ceramics, micromorphology and the full suite of analyses conducted on the material. These accounts are interspersed with individual specialists’ commentaries and conclusions, that mimic the process of collaborative interpretation that takes place during excavation and post-excavation. The ‘objective descriptions’ of the archaeology are thus exposed as interpretations involving a balancing of a variety of different types of data and scholarly input. Another thought-provoking volume in the Çatalhöyük excavation series which will be read with profit by any archaeologist engaged in working at theory in practice in the field.


Book Synopsis Excavating Çatalhöyük by : Ian Hodder

Download or read book Excavating Çatalhöyük written by Ian Hodder and published by British Institute at Ankara. This book was released on 2017-10-01 with total page 644 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ian Hodder’s campaigns of excavation at the world-famous Neolithic settlement of Çatalhöyük are one of the largest, most complex, and most exciting archaeological field projects in the world and recognized as agenda-setting not only in terms of our understanding of early farming communities in the Near East, particularly the central role religion played in their daily lives, but also in terms of the interaction between theory and practice in the trenches and on-site laboratories. This volume presents the results of excavation in three areas of the site, known as South, North, and KOPAL, excavated between 1995 and 1999. The book describes aspects of the excavation, recording and sampling methodologies that are necessary for an understanding of the results presented plus it incorporates interpretive discussion. It brings in data from the study of animal bones, lithics, ceramics, micromorphology and the full suite of analyses conducted on the material. These accounts are interspersed with individual specialists’ commentaries and conclusions, that mimic the process of collaborative interpretation that takes place during excavation and post-excavation. The ‘objective descriptions’ of the archaeology are thus exposed as interpretations involving a balancing of a variety of different types of data and scholarly input. Another thought-provoking volume in the Çatalhöyük excavation series which will be read with profit by any archaeologist engaged in working at theory in practice in the field.

Motel of the Mysteries

Motel of the Mysteries

Author: David Macaulay

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Published: 1979-10-11

Total Pages: 97

ISBN-13: 0547770723

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It is the year 4022; all of the ancient country of Usa has been buried under many feet of detritus from a catastrophe that occurred back in 1985. Imagine, then, the excitement that Howard Carson, an amateur archeologist at best, experienced when in crossing the perimeter of an abandoned excavation site he felt the ground give way beneath him and found himself at the bottom of a shaft, which, judging from the DO NOT DISTURB sign hanging from an archaic doorknob, was clearly the entrance to a still-sealed burial chamber. Carson's incredible discoveries, including the remains of two bodies, one of then on a ceremonial bed facing an altar that appeared to be a means of communicating with the Gods and the other lying in a porcelain sarcophagus in the Inner Chamber, permitted him to piece together the whole fabric of that extraordinary civilization.


Book Synopsis Motel of the Mysteries by : David Macaulay

Download or read book Motel of the Mysteries written by David Macaulay and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. This book was released on 1979-10-11 with total page 97 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It is the year 4022; all of the ancient country of Usa has been buried under many feet of detritus from a catastrophe that occurred back in 1985. Imagine, then, the excitement that Howard Carson, an amateur archeologist at best, experienced when in crossing the perimeter of an abandoned excavation site he felt the ground give way beneath him and found himself at the bottom of a shaft, which, judging from the DO NOT DISTURB sign hanging from an archaic doorknob, was clearly the entrance to a still-sealed burial chamber. Carson's incredible discoveries, including the remains of two bodies, one of then on a ceremonial bed facing an altar that appeared to be a means of communicating with the Gods and the other lying in a porcelain sarcophagus in the Inner Chamber, permitted him to piece together the whole fabric of that extraordinary civilization.

City of Quartz

City of Quartz

Author: Mike Davis

Publisher: Random House

Published: 1998

Total Pages: 482

ISBN-13: 0712666230

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Recounts the story of Los Angeles. He tells a tale of greed, manipulation, power and prejudice that has made Los Angeles one of the most cosmopolitan and most class-divided cities in the United States.


Book Synopsis City of Quartz by : Mike Davis

Download or read book City of Quartz written by Mike Davis and published by Random House. This book was released on 1998 with total page 482 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Recounts the story of Los Angeles. He tells a tale of greed, manipulation, power and prejudice that has made Los Angeles one of the most cosmopolitan and most class-divided cities in the United States.

Excavating Nauvoo

Excavating Nauvoo

Author: Benjamin C. Pykles

Publisher: U of Nebraska Press

Published: 2010-04-01

Total Pages: 416

ISBN-13: 080322835X

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This detailed study of the excavation and restoration of the city of Nauvoo, Illinois, reveals the roots of historical archaeology. In the late 1960s, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sponsored an archaeology program to authentically restore the city of Nauvoo, which was founded along the Mississippi River in the 1840s by the Mormons as they moved west. Non-Mormon scholars were also interested in Nauvoo because it was representative of several western frontier towns in this era. As the archaeology and restoration of Nauvoo progressed, however, conflicts arose, particularly regarding control of the site and its interpretation for the public. The field of historical archaeology was just coming into its own during this period, with myriad perspectives and doctrines being developed and tested. The Nauvoo site was one of the places where the discipline was forged. This well-researched account weaves together multiple viewpoints in examining the many contentious issues surrounding the archaeology and restoration of the city of Nauvoo, Illinois, providing an illuminating picture of the early days of professional historical archaeology.


Book Synopsis Excavating Nauvoo by : Benjamin C. Pykles

Download or read book Excavating Nauvoo written by Benjamin C. Pykles and published by U of Nebraska Press. This book was released on 2010-04-01 with total page 416 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This detailed study of the excavation and restoration of the city of Nauvoo, Illinois, reveals the roots of historical archaeology. In the late 1960s, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sponsored an archaeology program to authentically restore the city of Nauvoo, which was founded along the Mississippi River in the 1840s by the Mormons as they moved west. Non-Mormon scholars were also interested in Nauvoo because it was representative of several western frontier towns in this era. As the archaeology and restoration of Nauvoo progressed, however, conflicts arose, particularly regarding control of the site and its interpretation for the public. The field of historical archaeology was just coming into its own during this period, with myriad perspectives and doctrines being developed and tested. The Nauvoo site was one of the places where the discipline was forged. This well-researched account weaves together multiple viewpoints in examining the many contentious issues surrounding the archaeology and restoration of the city of Nauvoo, Illinois, providing an illuminating picture of the early days of professional historical archaeology.