Archaeology of Identity

general courses

Blended learning

The subject comprises presentation of modern theories concerning investigation of identities through the analysis of material remains of human activities. Archaeological approaches to group identity, family, gender, religion and power will be presented during the classes. A discussion will comprise various aspects and views on the construction of identity. Special emphasis will be placed on the making of identity in relation to things, people and places.

The aim of this conversion course is an introduction of the modern theories and methods concerning investigation of identity through an analysis of material remains of human actions. Dependency of humans of things and creation of identity through construction of relations with people, things and places will be shown in the context of archaeological investigation. The course will presented research approaches to group identity, family, gender, religion and power.

Discussion will comprise the identity making of and views on it. Participants will discuss among others the ways in which dwelling and everyday practice make the group identity and a contribution of places and objects in maintaining knowledge and memory and through this connecting people with past generations. Moreover, relation of monumental buildings making power relations and the way how things making relations with us can become extension of human selves will be debated. Other topics will concern the question how style, the way of doing things, creates group identity and how stimulants can bond stronger than kin. The course will also undertake the issue of corporeality and its significance in engaging with relations with the world. Additionally during the course we will consider if things and places also have identity.

We will talk through problems on the ground of case studies from various periods and regions and archaeological data from excavations in the 17th-century Old Dongola (Sudan). Discussion will refer directly to the archaeological data.

-Díaz-Andreu, M., Lucy, S., Babić, S., Edwards, D. N. 2005. Archaeology of Identity: Approaches to Gender, Age, Status, Ethnicity and Religion. London: Taylor & Francis Routledge.

-Domingo Sanz, I., Fiore, D., May, S. K. 2008. Archaeologies of Art Time, Place, and Identity. Walnut Creek: Left Coast Press.

-Graeber D., Wengrow. D. 2021. The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity. London: Allen Lane.

-Hodder, I. 2012. Entangled: An Archaeology of the Relationships between Humans and Things. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

-Hutson, S. 2009. Dwelling, Identity, and the Maya: Relational Archaeology at Chunchucmil. California: AltaMira.

-Insoll, T. 2007. The Archaeology of Identities: A Reader. London: Taylor & Francis Routledge.

-Shennan, S. 1989. Archaeological Approaches To Cultural Identity. London: Routledge.

-Thomas, J. 1996. Time, Culture and Identity. An interpretive archaeology. London: Routledge.

Student:

-knows modern approaches to archaeological investigation of the identity

-understands human dependency on things

-detects association between material remains of human activities and identity

-identifies network of people, things and places making identity

-formulates research problems concerning people’s identity

-exhibits openness towards new research trends

-Continuous evaluation (current preparation for classes and activity) – 50%

-Final presentation – 50%