The Sensoaesthetic Aspect of Ancient Materials, 1-2nd July, Exeter in collaboration with the Cyprus Institute (original) (raw)

Introduction to 'An Archaeology of Materials' 2011. Routledge.

An archaeology of materials poses a number of fundamental questions. For a start, what is a material? Does it have a discrete essence, or is it something more fluid and variable? Similarly do materials have a set of objectively measurable or experienced properties, or are their qualities relational, emerging in the process of very specific interactions? Is matter inert or animate? Moreover what is the relationship between materials and the forms of things that are made from them? In this book I will outline some of the ways that philosophers, scientists and social theorists have addressed these questions. Some of this thinking on materials, I will argue, works to restrict our interpretations of how materials worked in the past; others offer more radical possibilities for thinking through prehistoric materials

Artchaeology: a sensorial approach to the materiality of the past

2009

a sensorial approach to the materiality of the past UNARTE CARTE_ARTCHEOLOGY.indd 2-3 9/16/09 9:42:05 PM One of the specific characteristics of art is the performer's direct, sensorial contact with the shapes, textures, colors of materials, or with phenomena, in order to evoke an idea.

Handmade: An Archaeological Exploration of Materials and Making (syllabus, 2016)

This interactive, seminar course provides an introduction to the archaeology of materials and making. The course combines theoretical reflection with hands-on activities and a detailed examination of archaeological case studies. On a theoretical level, we will explore the conceptual terrain mapped out in recent years amidst a flurry of archaeological interest in things, objects, materials, materiality, sensory experience, and embodiment. On a practical level, we will engage directly with a series of materials – among them, clay, stone, wood, and bone – in order to develop an appreciation for the properties of these materials, the constraints that they impose, and the opportunities that they present, as well as the skills, techniques, and creative improvisations that enabled ancient people to transform them into objects of use and value. For each type of material, we will also examine a selection of archaeological, ethnoarchaeological, and ethnographic case studies in order to explore the challenges involved in dealing with archaeological evidence and to highlight cross-cultural similarities and differences. Ultimately, the goal is to develop a richer, embodied understanding of the archaeological record that draws directly on our own felt sense of materials and the process of making.

Materiality and Object Design and Function: Perspectives from Artefacts

Materiality in Roman Art and Architecture

The aesthetic qualities of materials used for artefacts have rarely been considered, and aesthetics in relation to the functionality of objects is especially neglected. The paper addresses these issues through an examination of a particular object category, vessels and containers, with a focus on three types of materials, namely glass, metal and organic materials. Firstly, definitions relating to aesthetics are discussed, followed by an overview of our knowledge of aesthetic cultural values in the Roman period. The paper then investigates evidence, principally from the surviving objects of the Early Roman period, but also drawing on written sources, that allows us to gain an understanding of the ways that these materials may have been aesthetically valued in contemporary culture. It finally considers the social functions of the aesthetic features of artefacts.

In search of the lost senses in archaeology: Experimental creations and sensory apprehensions

The Countless Aspects of Beauty, 2018

The present study focuses on the experience of contemporary creators and collaborating archaeologists, aiming to reinstate aspects of the ancient world through the reconstruction of garments, jewels, vases, perfumes, etc. The aim of the research was to delineate the relationship between the different senses and the creative process and their contribution to a multisensory approach to the ancient world that enriches contemporary aesthetic perception and the understanding of elusive aspects of antiquity.

RECREATING ARTEFACTS AND ANCIENT SKILLS: FROM EXPERIMENT TO INTERPRETATION

2022

This volume focuses on the role and means of archaeological experimentation in understanding the processes involved in the design, manufacture and use of past artefacts. We set out looking for contributions that would test existing theoretical hypotheses but also others that bring forth innovative approaches. When asking for contributions, we suggested the five stages of an experimental approach as main-themes: 1. Selection and acquisition of raw materials, identical to those present in the archaeological assemblages. 2. Production of replicas following the technological transformation schemes identified by the direct study of archaeological items. 3. Experimental use as indicated by the publications/ethnographic comparisons or as suggested by the morphology/use-wear evolution of the archaeological items. 4. Microscopical analysis of use-wear patterns. 5. Comparison of experimental data with archaeological data in order to validate the existing hypotheses on their manufacture and use by the human communities. A second aim was for the invited authors to come from various archaeological backgrounds and cover a broad spatial and temporal interval.

Substances: 'Following the material' through two prehistoric cases. co-author: Lynn Meskell

In this article, we argue for a multi-dimensional research strategy incorporating material, social and phenomenological analysis in the study of figurines and other human effigies. We call this approach 'following the material'. To illustrate, we examine two case studies: figurines from the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük (Turkey) and human effigies from the Formative region of Moche (Peru). We look first at the material substances from which artifacts are made and the material contexts in which they were produced, circulated and deposited, before turning to analysis of the representation of the body. This enables us to see these objects as themselves bodiesnot merely imperfect replicas of actual humans, but material objects made of substances that afford particular kinds of interactions between fleshly and artifactual bodies. This focus on the materiality of artifacts reveals tight connections between objects in human form, material culture, environment, landscape, and political economy.