The Cultural Landscape of Prehistoric Mines

The Cultural Landscape of Prehistoric Mines

Author: Society for American Archaeology. Meeting

Publisher: Oxbow Books Limited

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 228

ISBN-13:

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The papers in this volume came out of a symposium focusing on mining and its wider impact, at the 66th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. A number of fundamental questions were posed to the presenters, including: did the raw mined material have a symbolic value?, were the mines considered special places? were the miners craft specialists? did they have a particular social niche? In the wider landscape perspective, it was hoped that the case studies would also throw some light upon the choices of site locations: were mines and quarries simply positioned at the most convenient source of raw material, or were other considerations such as quality, rarity or colouration involved? Arguably the special nature of certain mining locations was linked to the local communities worldview, they must have been associated with traditional stories and oral histories. The presence of graffiti or rock art can often betray a 'special' location. Similarly, assemblages of carefully placed artefacts or pottery can also reveal specialised deposition, even amongst relatively mundane 'functional' tool types. Finally, the rare occurrence of burials in some mines and quarries offers further perspectives on how these sites may have been perceived by contemporary communities. The archaeological record does suggest a multiplicity of activities were focussed upon some mining sites, which do not easily fit with interpretations of extraction strategies. Although it could never be effectively argued that all mining had ritualised or ceremonial undertones, in some cases there was a definite and demonstrable special nature to the mining activity: this book presents some of those case studies.(Oxbow Books 2004)


Book Synopsis The Cultural Landscape of Prehistoric Mines by : Society for American Archaeology. Meeting

Download or read book The Cultural Landscape of Prehistoric Mines written by Society for American Archaeology. Meeting and published by Oxbow Books Limited. This book was released on 2005 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The papers in this volume came out of a symposium focusing on mining and its wider impact, at the 66th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. A number of fundamental questions were posed to the presenters, including: did the raw mined material have a symbolic value?, were the mines considered special places? were the miners craft specialists? did they have a particular social niche? In the wider landscape perspective, it was hoped that the case studies would also throw some light upon the choices of site locations: were mines and quarries simply positioned at the most convenient source of raw material, or were other considerations such as quality, rarity or colouration involved? Arguably the special nature of certain mining locations was linked to the local communities worldview, they must have been associated with traditional stories and oral histories. The presence of graffiti or rock art can often betray a 'special' location. Similarly, assemblages of carefully placed artefacts or pottery can also reveal specialised deposition, even amongst relatively mundane 'functional' tool types. Finally, the rare occurrence of burials in some mines and quarries offers further perspectives on how these sites may have been perceived by contemporary communities. The archaeological record does suggest a multiplicity of activities were focussed upon some mining sites, which do not easily fit with interpretations of extraction strategies. Although it could never be effectively argued that all mining had ritualised or ceremonial undertones, in some cases there was a definite and demonstrable special nature to the mining activity: this book presents some of those case studies.(Oxbow Books 2004)


The Cultural Landscape & Heritage Paradox

The Cultural Landscape & Heritage Paradox

Author: Tom Bloemers

Publisher: Amsterdam University Press

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 753

ISBN-13: 9089641556

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The basic problem is to what extent we can know past and mainly invisible landscapes, and how we can use this still hidden knowledge for actual sustainable management of landscape's cultural and historical values. It has also been acknowledged that heritage management is increasingly about 'the management of future change rather than simply protection'. This presents us with a paradox: to preserve our historic environment, we have to collaborate with those who wish to transform it and, in order to apply our expert knowledge, we have to make it suitable for policy and society. The answer presented by the Protection and Development of the Dutch Archaeological-Historical Landscape programme (pdl/bbo) is an integrative landscape approach which applies inter- and transdisciplinarity, establishing links between archaeological-historical heritage and planning, and between research and policy.


Book Synopsis The Cultural Landscape & Heritage Paradox by : Tom Bloemers

Download or read book The Cultural Landscape & Heritage Paradox written by Tom Bloemers and published by Amsterdam University Press. This book was released on 2010 with total page 753 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The basic problem is to what extent we can know past and mainly invisible landscapes, and how we can use this still hidden knowledge for actual sustainable management of landscape's cultural and historical values. It has also been acknowledged that heritage management is increasingly about 'the management of future change rather than simply protection'. This presents us with a paradox: to preserve our historic environment, we have to collaborate with those who wish to transform it and, in order to apply our expert knowledge, we have to make it suitable for policy and society. The answer presented by the Protection and Development of the Dutch Archaeological-Historical Landscape programme (pdl/bbo) is an integrative landscape approach which applies inter- and transdisciplinarity, establishing links between archaeological-historical heritage and planning, and between research and policy.


Mining and Quarrying in Neolithic Europe

Mining and Quarrying in Neolithic Europe

Author: Anne Teather

Publisher: Oxbow Books

Published: 2019-06-30

Total Pages: 342

ISBN-13: 1789251494

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The social processes involved in acquiring flint and stone in the Neolithic began to be considered over thirty years ago, promoting a more dynamic view of past extraction processes. Whether by quarrying, mining or surface retrieval, the geographic source locations of raw materials and their resultant archaeological sites have been approached from different methodological and theoretical perspectives. In recent years this has included the exploration of previously undiscovered sites, refined radiocarbon dating, comparative ethnographic analysis and novel analytical approaches to stone tool manufacture and provenancing. The aim of this volume in the Neolithic Studies Group Papers is to explore these new findings on extraction sites and their products. How did the acquisition of raw materials fit into other aspects of Neolithic life and social networks? How did these activities merge in creating material items that underpinned cosmology, status and identity? What are the geographic similarities, constraints and variables between the various raw materials, and how does the practise of stone extraction in the UK relate to wider extractive traditions in northwestern Europe? Eight papers address these questions and act as a useful overview of the current state of research on the topic.


Book Synopsis Mining and Quarrying in Neolithic Europe by : Anne Teather

Download or read book Mining and Quarrying in Neolithic Europe written by Anne Teather and published by Oxbow Books. This book was released on 2019-06-30 with total page 342 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The social processes involved in acquiring flint and stone in the Neolithic began to be considered over thirty years ago, promoting a more dynamic view of past extraction processes. Whether by quarrying, mining or surface retrieval, the geographic source locations of raw materials and their resultant archaeological sites have been approached from different methodological and theoretical perspectives. In recent years this has included the exploration of previously undiscovered sites, refined radiocarbon dating, comparative ethnographic analysis and novel analytical approaches to stone tool manufacture and provenancing. The aim of this volume in the Neolithic Studies Group Papers is to explore these new findings on extraction sites and their products. How did the acquisition of raw materials fit into other aspects of Neolithic life and social networks? How did these activities merge in creating material items that underpinned cosmology, status and identity? What are the geographic similarities, constraints and variables between the various raw materials, and how does the practise of stone extraction in the UK relate to wider extractive traditions in northwestern Europe? Eight papers address these questions and act as a useful overview of the current state of research on the topic.


Prehistoric Flint Mines in Europe

Prehistoric Flint Mines in Europe

Author: Françoise Bostyn

Publisher: Archaeopress Publishing Ltd

Published: 2023-11-09

Total Pages: 522

ISBN-13: 1803272228

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This volume offers a review of major flint mines dating from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age. The 18 articles were contributed by archaeologists from Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Sweden, using the same framework to propose a uniform view of the mining phenomenon.


Book Synopsis Prehistoric Flint Mines in Europe by : Françoise Bostyn

Download or read book Prehistoric Flint Mines in Europe written by Françoise Bostyn and published by Archaeopress Publishing Ltd. This book was released on 2023-11-09 with total page 522 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume offers a review of major flint mines dating from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age. The 18 articles were contributed by archaeologists from Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Sweden, using the same framework to propose a uniform view of the mining phenomenon.


Mining and Quarrying in the Ancient Andes

Mining and Quarrying in the Ancient Andes

Author: Nicholas Tripcevich

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-09

Total Pages: 359

ISBN-13: 1461452007

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​Over the millennia, from stone tools among early foragers to clays to prized metals and mineral pigments used by later groups, mineral resources have had a pronounced role in the Andean world. Archaeologists have used a variety of analytical techniques on the materials that ancient peoples procured from the earth. What these materials all have in common is that they originated in a mine or quarry. Despite their importance, comparative analysis between these archaeological sites and features has been exceptionally rare, and even more so for the Andes. Mining and Quarrying in the Ancient Andes focuses on archaeological research at primary deposits of minerals extracted through mining or quarrying in the Andean region. While mining often begins with an economic need, it has important social, political, and ritual dimensions as well. The contributions in this volume place evidence of primary extraction activities within the larger cultural context in which they occurred. This important contribution to the interdisciplinary literature presents research and analysis on the mining and quarrying of various materials throughout the region and through time. Thus, rather than focusing on one material type or one specific site, Mining and Quarrying in the Ancient Andes incorporates a variety of all the aspects of mining, by focusing on the physical, social, and ritual aspects of procuring materials from the earth in the Andean past.


Book Synopsis Mining and Quarrying in the Ancient Andes by : Nicholas Tripcevich

Download or read book Mining and Quarrying in the Ancient Andes written by Nicholas Tripcevich and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-09 with total page 359 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ​Over the millennia, from stone tools among early foragers to clays to prized metals and mineral pigments used by later groups, mineral resources have had a pronounced role in the Andean world. Archaeologists have used a variety of analytical techniques on the materials that ancient peoples procured from the earth. What these materials all have in common is that they originated in a mine or quarry. Despite their importance, comparative analysis between these archaeological sites and features has been exceptionally rare, and even more so for the Andes. Mining and Quarrying in the Ancient Andes focuses on archaeological research at primary deposits of minerals extracted through mining or quarrying in the Andean region. While mining often begins with an economic need, it has important social, political, and ritual dimensions as well. The contributions in this volume place evidence of primary extraction activities within the larger cultural context in which they occurred. This important contribution to the interdisciplinary literature presents research and analysis on the mining and quarrying of various materials throughout the region and through time. Thus, rather than focusing on one material type or one specific site, Mining and Quarrying in the Ancient Andes incorporates a variety of all the aspects of mining, by focusing on the physical, social, and ritual aspects of procuring materials from the earth in the Andean past.


Prehistoric Copper Mining in Michigan

Prehistoric Copper Mining in Michigan

Author: John R. Halsey

Publisher: U OF M MUSEUM ANTHRO ARCHAEOLOGY

Published: 2018-01-01

Total Pages: 351

ISBN-13: 0915703890

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Isle Royale and the counties that line the northwest coast of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula are called Copper Country because of the rich deposits of native copper there. In the nineteenth century, explorers and miners discovered evidence of prehistoric copper mining in this region. They used those “ancient diggings” as a guide to establishing their own, much larger mines, and in the process, destroyed the archaeological record left by the prehistoric miners. Using mining reports, newspaper accounts, personal letters, and other sources, this book reconstructs what these nineteenth-century discoverers found, how they interpreted the material remains of prehistoric activity, and what they did with the stone, wood, and copper tools they found at the prehistoric sites. “This volume represents an exhaustive compilation of the early written and published accounts of mines and mining in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It will prove a valuable resource to current and future scholars. Through these early historic accounts of prospectors and miners, Halsey provides a vivid picture of what once could be seen.” —John M. O’Shea, curator of Great Lakes Archaeology, University of Michigan Museum of Anthropological Archaeology


Book Synopsis Prehistoric Copper Mining in Michigan by : John R. Halsey

Download or read book Prehistoric Copper Mining in Michigan written by John R. Halsey and published by U OF M MUSEUM ANTHRO ARCHAEOLOGY. This book was released on 2018-01-01 with total page 351 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Isle Royale and the counties that line the northwest coast of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula are called Copper Country because of the rich deposits of native copper there. In the nineteenth century, explorers and miners discovered evidence of prehistoric copper mining in this region. They used those “ancient diggings” as a guide to establishing their own, much larger mines, and in the process, destroyed the archaeological record left by the prehistoric miners. Using mining reports, newspaper accounts, personal letters, and other sources, this book reconstructs what these nineteenth-century discoverers found, how they interpreted the material remains of prehistoric activity, and what they did with the stone, wood, and copper tools they found at the prehistoric sites. “This volume represents an exhaustive compilation of the early written and published accounts of mines and mining in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It will prove a valuable resource to current and future scholars. Through these early historic accounts of prospectors and miners, Halsey provides a vivid picture of what once could be seen.” —John M. O’Shea, curator of Great Lakes Archaeology, University of Michigan Museum of Anthropological Archaeology


Archaeology and Ancient Religion in the American Midcontinent

Archaeology and Ancient Religion in the American Midcontinent

Author: Brad H. Koldehoff

Publisher: University Alabama Press

Published: 2018-11-06

Total Pages: 367

ISBN-13: 0817319964

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Analyses of big datasets signal important directions for the archaeology of religion in the Archaic to Mississippian Native North America Across North America, huge data accumulations derived from decades of cultural resource management studies, combined with old museum collections, provide archaeologists with unparalleled opportunities to explore new questions about the lives of ancient native peoples. For many years the topics of technology, economy, and political organization have received the most research attention, while ritual, religion, and symbolic expression have largely been ignored. This was often the case because researchers considered such topics beyond reach of their methods and data. In Archaeology and Ancient Religion in the American Midcontinent, editors Brad H. Koldehoff and Timothy R. Pauketat and their contributors demonstrate that this notion is outdated through their analyses of a series of large datasets from the midcontinent, ranging from tiny charred seeds to the cosmic alignments of mounds, they consider new questions about the religious practices and lives of native peoples. At the core of this volume are case studies that explore religious practices from the Cahokia area and surrounding Illinois uplands. Additional chapters explore these topics using data collected from sites and landscapes scattered along the Mississippi and Ohio River valleys. This innovative work facilitates a greater appreciation for, and understanding of, ancient native religious practices, especially their seamless connections to everyday life and livelihood. The contributors do not advocate for a reduced emphasis on technology, economy, and political organization; rather, they recommend expanding the scope of such studies to include considerations of how religious practices shaped the locations of sites, the character of artifacts, and the content and arrangement of sites and features. They also highlight analytical approaches that are applicable to archaeological datasets from across the Americas and beyond.


Book Synopsis Archaeology and Ancient Religion in the American Midcontinent by : Brad H. Koldehoff

Download or read book Archaeology and Ancient Religion in the American Midcontinent written by Brad H. Koldehoff and published by University Alabama Press. This book was released on 2018-11-06 with total page 367 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Analyses of big datasets signal important directions for the archaeology of religion in the Archaic to Mississippian Native North America Across North America, huge data accumulations derived from decades of cultural resource management studies, combined with old museum collections, provide archaeologists with unparalleled opportunities to explore new questions about the lives of ancient native peoples. For many years the topics of technology, economy, and political organization have received the most research attention, while ritual, religion, and symbolic expression have largely been ignored. This was often the case because researchers considered such topics beyond reach of their methods and data. In Archaeology and Ancient Religion in the American Midcontinent, editors Brad H. Koldehoff and Timothy R. Pauketat and their contributors demonstrate that this notion is outdated through their analyses of a series of large datasets from the midcontinent, ranging from tiny charred seeds to the cosmic alignments of mounds, they consider new questions about the religious practices and lives of native peoples. At the core of this volume are case studies that explore religious practices from the Cahokia area and surrounding Illinois uplands. Additional chapters explore these topics using data collected from sites and landscapes scattered along the Mississippi and Ohio River valleys. This innovative work facilitates a greater appreciation for, and understanding of, ancient native religious practices, especially their seamless connections to everyday life and livelihood. The contributors do not advocate for a reduced emphasis on technology, economy, and political organization; rather, they recommend expanding the scope of such studies to include considerations of how religious practices shaped the locations of sites, the character of artifacts, and the content and arrangement of sites and features. They also highlight analytical approaches that are applicable to archaeological datasets from across the Americas and beyond.


Life in Copper Age Britain

Life in Copper Age Britain

Author: Julian Heath

Publisher: Amberley Publishing Limited

Published: 2012-07-15

Total Pages: 282

ISBN-13: 1445619997

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The first work on one of the most exciting periods of British prehistory.


Book Synopsis Life in Copper Age Britain by : Julian Heath

Download or read book Life in Copper Age Britain written by Julian Heath and published by Amberley Publishing Limited. This book was released on 2012-07-15 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first work on one of the most exciting periods of British prehistory.


The Oxford Handbook of Neolithic Europe

The Oxford Handbook of Neolithic Europe

Author: Chris Fowler

Publisher: OUP Oxford

Published: 2015-03-26

Total Pages: 856

ISBN-13: 0191666890

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The Neolithic —a period in which the first sedentary agrarian communities were established across much of Europe—has been a key topic of archaeological research for over a century. However, the variety of evidence across Europe, the range of languages in which research is carried out, and the way research traditions in different countries have developed makes it very difficult for both students and specialists to gain an overview of continent-wide trends. The Oxford Handbook of Neolithic Europe provides the first comprehensive, geographically extensive, thematic overview of the European Neolithic —from Iberia to Russia and from Norway to Malta —offering both a general introduction and a clear exploration of key issues and current debates surrounding evidence and interpretation. Chapters written by leading experts in the field examine topics such as the movement of plants, animals, ideas, and people (including recent trends in the application of genetics and isotope analyses); cultural change (from the first appearance of farming to the first metal artefacts); domestic architecture; subsistence; material culture; monuments; and burial and other treatments of the dead. In doing so, the volume also considers the history of research and sets out agendas and themes for future work in the field.


Book Synopsis The Oxford Handbook of Neolithic Europe by : Chris Fowler

Download or read book The Oxford Handbook of Neolithic Europe written by Chris Fowler and published by OUP Oxford. This book was released on 2015-03-26 with total page 856 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Neolithic —a period in which the first sedentary agrarian communities were established across much of Europe—has been a key topic of archaeological research for over a century. However, the variety of evidence across Europe, the range of languages in which research is carried out, and the way research traditions in different countries have developed makes it very difficult for both students and specialists to gain an overview of continent-wide trends. The Oxford Handbook of Neolithic Europe provides the first comprehensive, geographically extensive, thematic overview of the European Neolithic —from Iberia to Russia and from Norway to Malta —offering both a general introduction and a clear exploration of key issues and current debates surrounding evidence and interpretation. Chapters written by leading experts in the field examine topics such as the movement of plants, animals, ideas, and people (including recent trends in the application of genetics and isotope analyses); cultural change (from the first appearance of farming to the first metal artefacts); domestic architecture; subsistence; material culture; monuments; and burial and other treatments of the dead. In doing so, the volume also considers the history of research and sets out agendas and themes for future work in the field.


Medicine, Healing and Performance

Medicine, Healing and Performance

Author: Effie Gemi-Iordanou

Publisher: Oxbow Books

Published: 2014-02-13

Total Pages: 199

ISBN-13: 1782971580

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Whether it is the binding of shattered bones or the creation of herbal remedies, human agency is a central feature of the healing process. Both archaeological and anthropological research has contributed much to our understanding of the performative aspects of medicine. The papers contained in this volume, based on a session conducted at the 2010 Theoretical Archaeology Conference, take a multi-disciplinary approach to the topic, addressing such issues as the cultural conception of disease; the impact of gender roles on healing strategies; the possibilities afforded by syncretism; the relationship between material culture and the body; and the role played by the active agency of the sick.


Book Synopsis Medicine, Healing and Performance by : Effie Gemi-Iordanou

Download or read book Medicine, Healing and Performance written by Effie Gemi-Iordanou and published by Oxbow Books. This book was released on 2014-02-13 with total page 199 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Whether it is the binding of shattered bones or the creation of herbal remedies, human agency is a central feature of the healing process. Both archaeological and anthropological research has contributed much to our understanding of the performative aspects of medicine. The papers contained in this volume, based on a session conducted at the 2010 Theoretical Archaeology Conference, take a multi-disciplinary approach to the topic, addressing such issues as the cultural conception of disease; the impact of gender roles on healing strategies; the possibilities afforded by syncretism; the relationship between material culture and the body; and the role played by the active agency of the sick.