Victoria Ginn - Exploring Prehistoric Identity in Europe

Published in the United Kingdom in 2014 by
OXBOW BOOKS
10 Hythe Bridge Street, Oxford OX1 2EW

and in the United States by
OXBOW BOOKS
908 Darby Road, Havertown, PA 19083

Oxbow Books and the individual contributors 2014

Paperback Edition: ISBN 978-1-84217-813-3
E-pub Edition: ISBN 978-1-84217-747-1; Mobi: ISBN 978-1-84217-748-8;
PDF: ISBN 978-1-84217-749-5

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Exploring prehistoric identity in Europe : our construct or theirs? / edited by Victoria Ginn, Rebecca
Enlander and Rebecca Crozier.
pages cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-1-84217-813-3
1. Prehistoric peoples--Europe. 2. Anthropology, Prehistoric--Europe. 3. Social archaeology--Europe.
4. Europe--Antiquities. I. Ginn, Victoria (Victoria R.)
GN803.E98 2014
936--dc23

2013047762

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means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage
and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher in writing.

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Cover image: Rebecca Enlander
Colour images published with generous assistance from the Marc Fitch Fund

This volume is dedicated to
Professor James Mallory, the original Indiana Jones

LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS

PROFESSOR JIM MALLORY
Professor (Emeritus), School of Geography, Archaeology & Palaeoecology, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN

Email: ()

DR REBECCA ENLANDER
School of Geography, Archaeology & Palaeoecology, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN

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DR VICTORIA GINN
School of Geography, Archaeology & Palaeoecology, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN

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SAMANTHA REITER
ESR Researcher, Forging Identities Project. Department of Anthropology, Archaeology and Linguistics, Aarhus University

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DR REBECCA CROZIER
Archaeological Studies Program, Albert Hall, Lakandula Street, University of the Philippines, (Dilman Campus), Manila

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DR SAM WALSH
Archaeology, School of Forensic and Investigative Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, Lancashire PR1 2HE

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DR CAROLINE MALONE
School of Geography, Archaeology & Palaeoecology, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN

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DR KERRI CLEARY
Archaeological Consultant, Cork

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DR EOIN GROGAN
Sean-Ghaeilge, Room 20, Arts Building, National University of Ireland, Maynooth

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SARA BOYLE
School of Geography, Archaeology & Palaeoecology, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN

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HEIDE WROBEL NRGAARD
ESR Researcher, Forging Identities Project. Department of Anthropology, Archaeology and Linguistics, Aarhus University

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DR DIRK BRANDHERM
School of Geography, Archaeology & Palaeoecology, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN

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MICHAEL MACDONAGH
National Roads Authority, Ireland

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MARK SAPWELL
Division of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DZ

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EIMEAR MEEGAN
UCD John Hume Institute of Global Irish Studies, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland

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PROFESSOR AUDREY HORNING
School of Geography, Archaeology & Palaeoecology, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN

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CTLIN NICOLAE POPA
Division of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DZ

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NICOLE TAYLOR
Christian-Albrechts Universitt zu Kiel, Institut fr Ur- und Frhgeschichte (Raum 140B), Olshaunsen Strasse 40, D-24118, Kiel, Deutschland

Email: ()

DR T. L. THURSTON
Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology, SUNY Buffalo, 380 MFAC, Ellicott Complex, Buffalo, New York

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FOREWORD

Jim Mallory

This book began its journey with an idea for a symposium conceived by three post-graduate students within the Past Cultural Change research cluster at Queens University Belfast, of which I was then the Director. The students wished to host an event which combined theory and practice within an archaeological framework. Having obtained funding from Queens University Student-led Initiative, The Prehistoric Society and the Northern Ireland Environment and Heritage Agency it was possible to host a two-day event that was free for all attending delegates. Student bursaries were offered to encourage travel from across the water.

The principal aim of the symposium was to address the theme of identity within a prehistoric context. This fell under the remit of one of the Council for British Archaeologys research themes: Archaeology in the classroom and beyond: developing local and national identities and one of the priorities of the Heritage Council, Ireland: Cultural identity, territory and boundaries. The combination of an international keynote speaker and archaeologists from the private and non-academic sectors enabled the sharing of expertise. The symposium examined identity as a relational construct expressed through material culture, variations in domestic architectural styles, and the prolonged, intermittent use of particular spaces and places. A wide range of case studies, both temporally and spatially, enabled further exploration of these thought processes. It was then possible to tease out diachronic and geographic patterns in expressions of identity. The conference also examined how our own identities have had an impact upon archaeological interpretations, both historically and currently. This had a particular resonance as the conference was held in Belfast, where, although Ireland represents a distinct geographical continuum, the archaeology has not been unaffected by the political nuances of the island.

Over 60 delegates from Ireland, Britain, Europe, and America attended the symposium. The keynote speech, Travelling cultures in theoretical and archaeological perspective, was given by Professor Helle Vandkilde (Aarhus University), one of the main coordinators of the Forging Identities: the mobility of culture in Bronze Age Europe research project. The guest closing speaker was Dr Joanna Brck (University College Dublin). Due to the success of the symposium it was decided to pursue the publication. Unfortunately, as with any such project, several of the speakers were unable to contribute due to other, pressurised commitments, including Professor Helle Vandkilde and Dr Joanna Brck, among others. However, this enabled the coordinators to offer a publication opportunity to those who had presented posters at the symposium. The publication moves beyond a simple regurgitation of the papers presented at the symposium and has developed into a cohesive and important contribution to the discussion of archaeological identities. Recognition goes to the three post-graduate editors who have produced the volume in such a timely fashion while pursuing their own research agendas.