Fragments from Antiquity: An Archaeology of Social Life in Britain, 2900-1200 BC is a book on the archaeology of Britain in the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Ages written by the British archaeologist John C. Barrett, then a senior lecturer at the University of Glasgow. It was first published in 1994 by the Oxford-based company Blackwell as a part of their ‘Social Archaeology’ series, edited by the archaeologist Ian Hodder of the University of Cambridge.
An adherent of the post-processual school of thought in archaeological theory, in Fragments from Antiquity, Barrett eschews the 'grand narrative' approach which he associates with processualism, instead focusing in on the much smaller period of time between 2900 and 1200 BCE.
Although many of Barrett's interpretations of the evidence remained controversial, Fragments from Antiquity has remained an influential text amongst archaeologists studying British prehistory.
"A characteristic of modern archaeological writing is to avoid… intimacies. We produce more generalized histories, not of 'people' but of 'processes', which place this or any other life in a larger context of economic and settlement systems, or in the mechanisms of social evolution. These layers of generalization have the effect of finally burying the individual, a move in archaeological writing which creates an unbridgeable distance between our own images of the past and the subjective and local intimacies of people’s own lives as they were once lived."
In the book's introduction, Barrett criticises the trend amongst processual archaeologists to focus on the generalisation of past societies into a series of processes, instead arguing that archaeologists should instead think about the individuals of the past, who are otherwise forgotten. He therefore accepts the role that post-processual theory plays in the book, but argues that "this is not a book about archaeological theory", instead being "an empirical study aimed at building a history of the period between about 2900 and 1200 BC in southern Britain" a timespan that he considers to be "one of the most remarkable periods in European prehistory".[2]
Barrett, John C. (1994). Fragments from Antiquity: An Archaeology of Social Life in Britain, 2900-1200 BC. Oxford, UK and Cambridge, United States: Blackwell. ISBN978-0-631-18954-1.
May 15, 2024
fragments, from, antiquity, archaeology, social, life, britain, 2900, 1200, book, archaeology, britain, late, neolithic, early, bronze, ages, written, british, archaeologist, john, barrett, then, senior, lecturer, university, glasgow, first, published, 1994, o. Fragments from Antiquity An Archaeology of Social Life in Britain 2900 1200 BC is a book on the archaeology of Britain in the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Ages written by the British archaeologist John C Barrett then a senior lecturer at the University of Glasgow It was first published in 1994 by the Oxford based company Blackwell as a part of their Social Archaeology series edited by the archaeologist Ian Hodder of the University of Cambridge Fragments from AntiquityThe paperback cover of the book AuthorJohn C BarrettCountryUnited KingdomLanguageEnglishSubjectArchaeologyPublisherBlackwellPublication date1994Media typePrint Hardcover amp Paperback Pages172 An adherent of the post processual school of thought in archaeological theory in Fragments from Antiquity Barrett eschews the grand narrative approach which he associates with processualism instead focusing in on the much smaller period of time between 2900 and 1200 BCE Although many of Barrett s interpretations of the evidence remained controversial Fragments from Antiquity has remained an influential text amongst archaeologists studying British prehistory Contents 1 Background 1 1 Post processualism 1 2 John C Barrett 2 Synopsis 3 References 3 1 Footnotes 3 2 BibliographyBackground editPost processualism edit Main article Post processual archaeology John C Barrett edit Further information John C Barrett Barrett had contributed a section on Early Bronze Age hoards and metalwork to the 1985 book Symbols of Power At the Time of Stonehenge a work written by D V Clarke T G Cowie and Andrew Foxon which had been published by the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland Synopsis edit A characteristic of modern archaeological writing is to avoid intimacies We produce more generalized histories not of people but of processes which place this or any other life in a larger context of economic and settlement systems or in the mechanisms of social evolution These layers of generalization have the effect of finally burying the individual a move in archaeological writing which creates an unbridgeable distance between our own images of the past and the subjective and local intimacies of people s own lives as they were once lived Barrett in his Introduction 1994 1 In the book s introduction Barrett criticises the trend amongst processual archaeologists to focus on the generalisation of past societies into a series of processes instead arguing that archaeologists should instead think about the individuals of the past who are otherwise forgotten He therefore accepts the role that post processual theory plays in the book but argues that this is not a book about archaeological theory instead being an empirical study aimed at building a history of the period between about 2900 and 1200 BC in southern Britain a timespan that he considers to be one of the most remarkable periods in European prehistory 2 References editFootnotes edit Barrett 1994 p 1 Barrett 1994 pp 1 7 Bibliography edit Barrett John C 1994 Fragments from Antiquity An Archaeology of Social Life in Britain 2900 1200 BC Oxford UK and Cambridge United States Blackwell ISBN 978 0 631 18954 1 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Fragments from Antiquity amp oldid 1091193358, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
