Cristian Simonetti - Sentient Conceptualisations

p.i

Sentient Conceptualisations

Sentient Conceptualisations is about how scientists studying the past understand time in relation to space. Simonetti argues that the feelings for depths and surfaces, arising from the bodily movements and gestures of scientific practice, strongly influence conceptualisations of space and time. With an anthropological eye, Simonetti explores the ways archaeologists and those from related disciplines develop expert knowledge in varied environments. The book draws on ethnographic work carried out with Chilean and Scottish archaeologists, working both on land and underwater, to analyse in depth the visual language of science and what it reveals about the relation between thinking and feeling.

Cristin Simonetti is Assistant Professor at the Programa de Antropologa, Instituto de Sociologa, Pontificia Universidad Catlica de Chile and an Honorary Research Fellow at the Department of Anthropology, University of Aberdeen, UK.

p.iii

Sentient Conceptualisations

Feeling for Time in the Sciences of the Past

Cristin Simonetti

p.iv

p.v

To Daniela, Luciano and Aila

p.viii

p.ix

p.xi

The research summarised in this book has been conducted over the past 10 years. During this time, I have learned from many people whom I would now like to acknowledge and thank. First of all, I thank the friends and colleagues who encouraged and supported me in applying for the studies that initiated the research described in these pages: Magdalena Vicua, Lucia Castelli, Carlos Cornejo, Rafael Nez, Michael Cole, Roberto Gonzlez, Jorge Manzi, Roberto Aristegui and Andrs Haye. They have all taught me important things. I also want to thank the wonderful community I found at the Department of Anthropology in the University of Aberdeen. The department, as the youngest of its kind in Britain, offered the right atmosphere to challenge conventions and explore new avenues. I would especially like to thank Tim Ingold for trusting and accompany me throughout the sometimes unexpected growth of this project. His presence and guidance have been a constant source of inspiration. Others in the department, either permanent presences or merely passing through, provided me with helpful suggestions and criticism. I would like to mention Arnar rnason, Alex King, Laura Siragusa, Dmitry Arzyutov, Katy Fox, Csar Giraldo Herrera, Rolando Silla and Miriam Rabelo, all of whom read parts of this book. I would also like to acknowledge Christel Mattheeuws, Peter Loovers, Franz Krause, Penny Howard, Mike Anusas, James Leach, Johan Rasanayagam, Jo Vergunst, Rob Wishart, Martin Mills, Alison Brown, Lieve Orye, Maggie Bolton, Rachel Harkness, Marc Higgin, Elizabeth Hodson, Griet Scheldeman, Caroline Gatt, Paolo Gruppuso, Alberto Goyena, Germain Meulemans, Ricardo Nemirovsky, Marionne Cronin and Judith Winter for their encouragement, support and interest in this project.

I would also like to thank colleagues and students at the Pontificia Universidad Catlica de Chile, including those who contribute daily to the growth of its anthropology programme. Also the youngest of its kind, the programme has quickly turned into one of Chiles most original and creative hubs of anthropological studies. I am grateful to Marcelo Gonzlez, Diana Espirito Santo, Marjorie Murray, Piero DiGiminniani, ngel Aedo, Pedro Mege, Francisco Gallardo, Eduardo Valenzuela, Giovanna Bacchiddu, Felipe Martnez, Helene Risor, Roberto Campbell, Joseph Feldman, Gabriela Cabaa, Martn Fonck and Daniela Jacob, all of whom have offered their support and advice. Soon after my arrival to UCs anthropology programme, I was given the opportunity to teach a transdisciplinary course on time for two consecutive years. Titled Time and Anthropology, the course has allowed me not only to concentrate on this book, but also to share ideas with students from various faculties across the sciences, arts and humanities. I am particularly grateful to them for pushing me to clearly outline what I want to say with this book, as well as often leading me to unexpected lines of inquiry.

p.xii

Outside these two departments, I have had the privilege to spend time with and learn from many others, some of whom have also read and commented on parts of this book. I would especially like to thank Jeff Oliver, Gordon Noble and Chris Gosden for their generous and insightful comments and suggestions. I am also particularly grateful to Diego Carabias, Renato Simonetti, Ricardo Ibaez, Nicols Lira, Leonor Adn, Simn Urbina, Mauricio Uribe, Camilo Robles, Ignacio Torres, Carla Morales, Roberto Paredes, Damain Vainstub, Amaru Argeso, Iaki Moulian, Claudio Zaror, Marcelo Godoy, Rodrigo Mera, Doina Munita, Mara Eugenia Solari, Felipe Rubio and Luis Amaro. Without their support, this project would have been impossible. Also, I have benefited immensely from conversations with Caroline Wickham-Jones, Sue Dawson, Penny Dransart, Jonathan Trigg, Brian Milton, Karen Milek, Francois Guindon, Michael Stratigos, Jos Isla, Nigel Nayling, Paulo Alves, Carol McKetty, Heather Morgan, Rolando Bompadre, Rodrigo Brito, Claudio Araya, Camilo Barrionuevo, Marco de la Vega, Pablo Herrera, Laura Moncada, Eliana Borgheresi, Eliana Simonetti, Pablo Simonetti, Hctor Carvacho, Pablo de Tezanos, Nerea Aldunate, David Torres, Antonia Larran, Ramiro Gonzlez, Cristbal Bonelli, Edmundo Kronmller, Vladimir Lpez, Agustn Ibaez, Cristbal Rivas, Alfredo Gaete, Kensy Cooperrider, Pablo Rojas, Simon Gall, Juan Francisco Salazar, Matt Edgeworth, Carlos Sautchuk, Andrs Zarankin, Manuel Tironi, Sebastin Ureta, Benjamin Alberti, Bronislaw Szerszynski, Juan Carlos Skewes, Debbie Guerra, Natalia Hernndez, Jaime Coquelet, Jorge Razeto, Victoria Castro, Chris Speed, Michelle Bastian, Carla Coscarelli, Stella Souvatzi, Gary Robinson, Tanya King, Richard Irvine, Heid Jerstad and Eugenio Rodrguez. I also wish to express my gratitude to Peter de Montmollin for his thorough proofreading of the manuscript; to Katherine Ong, Max Novick, Lola Harre and Marc Stratton, editors of Routledges Anthropology Series, for their support at various stages of the project; and to three anonymous reviewers, whose kind suggestions and criticism significantly contributed to improving the books argument.