The Power of Ritual in Prehistory

The Power of Ritual in Prehistory PDF Author: Brian Hayden
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1108648053
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 411

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Book Description
The Power of Ritual in Prehistory is the first book in nearly a century to deal with traditional secret societies from a comparative perspective and the first from an archaeological viewpoint. Providing a clear definition, as well as the material signatures, of ethnographic secret societies, Brian Hayden demonstrates how they worked, what motivated their organizers, and what tactics they used to obtain what they wanted. He shows that far from working for the welfare of their communities, traditional secret societies emerged as predatory organizations operated for the benefit of their own members. Moreover, and contrary to the prevailing ideas that prehistoric rituals were used to integrate communities, Hayden demonstrates how traditional secret societies created divisiveness and inequalities. They were one of the key tools for increasing political control leading to chiefdoms, states, and world religions. Hayden's conclusions will be eye-opening, not only for archaeologists, but also for anthropologists, political scientists, and scholars of religion.

The Power of Ritual in Prehistory

The Power of Ritual in Prehistory PDF Author: Brian Hayden
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1108648053
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 411

Get Book

Book Description
The Power of Ritual in Prehistory is the first book in nearly a century to deal with traditional secret societies from a comparative perspective and the first from an archaeological viewpoint. Providing a clear definition, as well as the material signatures, of ethnographic secret societies, Brian Hayden demonstrates how they worked, what motivated their organizers, and what tactics they used to obtain what they wanted. He shows that far from working for the welfare of their communities, traditional secret societies emerged as predatory organizations operated for the benefit of their own members. Moreover, and contrary to the prevailing ideas that prehistoric rituals were used to integrate communities, Hayden demonstrates how traditional secret societies created divisiveness and inequalities. They were one of the key tools for increasing political control leading to chiefdoms, states, and world religions. Hayden's conclusions will be eye-opening, not only for archaeologists, but also for anthropologists, political scientists, and scholars of religion.

The Power of Ritual in Prehistory

The Power of Ritual in Prehistory PDF Author: Brian Hayden
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1108426395
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 411

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Book Description
Secret societies in tribal societies turn out to be key to understanding the origins of social inequalities and state religions.

The Power of Ritual in Prehistory

The Power of Ritual in Prehistory PDF Author: Brian Hayden
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9781108445108
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 410

Get Book

Book Description
The Power of Ritual in Prehistory is the first book in nearly a century to deal with traditional secret societies from a comparative perspective and the first from an archaeological viewpoint. Providing a clear definition, as well as the material signatures, of ethnographic secret societies, Brian Hayden demonstrates how they worked, what motivated their organizers, and what tactics they used to obtain what they wanted. He shows that far from working for the welfare of their communities, traditional secret societies emerged as predatory organizations operated for the benefit of their own members. Moreover, and contrary to the prevailing ideas that prehistoric rituals were used to integrate communities, Hayden demonstrates how traditional secret societies created divisiveness and inequalities. They were one of the key tools for increasing political control leading to chiefdoms, states, and world religions. Hayden's conclusions will be eye-opening, not only for archaeologists, but also for anthropologists, political scientists, and scholars of religion.

The Power of Feasts

The Power of Feasts PDF Author: Brian Hayden
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1107042992
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 439

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Book Description
In this book, Brian Hayden provides the first comprehensive, theoretical work on the history of feasting in societies ranging from the prehistoric to the modern.

Knowledge and Power in Prehistoric Societies

Knowledge and Power in Prehistoric Societies PDF Author: Lynne Kelly
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1107059372
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 303

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Book Description
This book explores the role of formal knowledge systems in small-scale oral cultures in both historic and archaeological contexts.

Ideology, Power and Prehistory

Ideology, Power and Prehistory PDF Author: Theoretical Archaeology Group (England). Conference
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521255264
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 176

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Book Description
This book starts from the premise that methodology has always dominated archaeology to the detriment of broader social theory.

Sacred Darkness

Sacred Darkness PDF Author: Holley Moyes
Publisher: University Press of Colorado
ISBN: 1457117509
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 806

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Book Description
Caves have been used in various ways across human society but despite the persistence within popular culture of the iconic caveman, deep caves were never used primarily as habitation sites for early humans. Rather, in both ancient and contemporary contexts, caves have served primarily as ritual spaces. In Sacred Darkness, contributors use archaeological evidence as well as ethnographic studies of modern ritual practices to envision the cave as place of spiritual and ideological power and a potent venue for ritual practice. Covering the ritual use of caves in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, Mesoamerica, and the US Southwest and Eastern woodlands, this book brings together case studies by prominent scholars whose research spans from the Paleolithic period to the present day. These contributions demonstrate that cave sites are as fruitful as surface contexts in promoting the understanding of both ancient and modern religious beliefs and practices. This state-of-the-art survey of ritual cave use will be one of the most valuable resources for understanding the role of caves in studies of religion, sacred landscape, or cosmology and a must-read for any archaeologist interested in caves.

Popular Religion and Ritual in Prehistoric and Ancient Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean

Popular Religion and Ritual in Prehistoric and Ancient Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean PDF Author: Giorgos Vavouranakis
Publisher: Archaeopress Publishing Ltd
ISBN: 1789690463
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 188

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Book Description
This volume features a group of select peer-reviewed papers by an international group of authors, both younger and senior academics and researchers, on the frequently neglected popular cult and other ritual practices in prehistoric and ancient Greece and the eastern Mediterranean.

Cult in Context

Cult in Context PDF Author: Caroline Malone
Publisher: Oxbow Books
ISBN: 1782974962
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 368

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Book Description
Gods, deities, symbolism, deposition, cosmology and intentionality are all features of the study of early ritual and cult. Archaeology has great difficulties in providing satisfactory interpretation or recognition of these elusive but important parts of ancient society, and methodologies are often poorly equipped to explore the evidence. This collection of papers explores a wide range of prehistoric and early historic archaeological contexts from Britain, Europe and beyond, where monuments, architectural structures, megaliths, art, caves, ritual activity and symbolic remains offer exciting glimpses into ancient belief systems and cult behaviour. Different theoretical and practical approaches are demonstrated, offering both new directions and considered conclusions to the many problems of studying the archaeology of cult and ritual. Central to the volume is an exploration of early Malta and its intriguing Temple Culture, set in a broad perspective by the discussion and theoretical approaches presented in different geographical and chronological contexts.

Social Zooarchaeology

Social Zooarchaeology PDF Author: Nerissa Russell
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1139504347
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 561

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Book Description
This is the first book to provide a systematic overview of social zooarchaeology, which takes a holistic view of human-animal relations in the past. Until recently, archaeological analysis of faunal evidence has primarily focused on the role of animals in the human diet and subsistence economy. This book, however, argues that animals have always played many more roles in human societies: as wealth, companions, spirit helpers, sacrificial victims, totems, centerpieces of feasts, objects of taboos, and more. These social factors are as significant as taphonomic processes in shaping animal bone assemblages. Nerissa Russell uses evidence derived from not only zooarchaeology, but also ethnography, history and classical studies, to suggest the range of human-animal relationships and to examine their importance in human society. Through exploring the significance of animals to ancient humans, this book provides a richer picture of past societies.