Gender archaeology

Gender archaeology

Gender archaeology is a method of studying past societies through their material culture by closely examining the social construction of gender identities and relations.

Gender archaeology itself is based on the ideas that even though nearly all individuals are naturally born either male or female that there is nothing natural about gender. It is believed that gender is actually a social construct which varies between cultures and changes through time.

Gender archaeologists examine the relative positions in society of men, women, and children through identifying and studying the differences in power and authority they held, as they are manifested in material (and skeletal) remains. These differences can survive in the physical record although they are not always immediately apparent and are often open to interpretation. The relationship between the genders can also inform relationships between other social groups such as families, different classes, ages and religions.

See also

* Feminist archaeology
* Sarah Milledge Nelson
* Roberta Gilchrist


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Archaeology — For the magazine about archaeology, see Archaeology (magazine). Excavations at the site of Gran Dolina, in the Atapuerca Mountains, Spain, 2008 Archaeology, or archeology[1] (from Greek ἀρχαιολογία, archaiologia …   Wikipedia

  • Topic outline of archaeology — Archaeology is the study of human cultures through the recovery, documentation, and analysis of material remains and environmental data, including architecture, artifacts, biofacts, human remains, and landscapes. The goals of archaeology are to… …   Wikipedia

  • Archaeology of the Americas — Stone circle at Burnt Hill, Massachusetts, USA The archaeology of the Americas is the study of the archaeology of North America (Mesoamerica included), Central America, South America and the Caribbean. This includes the study of pre historic/Pre… …   Wikipedia

  • Outline of archaeology — The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to archaeology: Archaeology – study of human cultures through the recovery, documentation, and analysis of material remains and environmental data, including architecture,… …   Wikipedia

  • Feminist archaeology — is an approach to studying ancient societies by critiquing what its practitioners perceive as an androcentric bias both in many past civilisations and also in modern archaeological study. They attempt to rectify it by producing new… …   Wikipedia

  • Third gender — The terms third gender and third sex describe individuals who are considered to be neither women nor men, as well as the social category present in those societies who recognize three or more genders.The state of being neither male nor female may …   Wikipedia

  • Anthropology and Archaeology — ▪ 2009 Introduction Anthropology       Among the key developments in 2008 in the field of physical anthropology was the discovery by a large interdisciplinary team of Spanish and American scientists in northern Spain of a partial mandible (lower… …   Universalium

  • Processual archaeology — (formerly the New Archaeology) is a form of archaeological theory that had its genesis in 1958 with Willey and Phillips work Method and Theory in American Archeology, in which the pair stated that American archaeology is anthropology or it is… …   Wikipedia

  • Archaeological Evidence of Gender in Central Otago Mining Communities — During the 19th Century in Central Otago New Zealand, the discovery of gold encouraged many prospectors from around the world and New Zealand to search for gold in Central Otago’s rivers, fields and gully’s. Prospectors, both men and women, young …   Wikipedia

  • Амазонки — в греческой мифологии женщины воительницы, представлявшие собой отдельное племя. Согласно легендам, оно проживало у самых дальних берегов Эвксинского Понта (Черного моря). Их столицей являлся город Фемиксира. С детства амазонок учили владеть… …   Термины гендерных исследований

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”