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Nature of Ritual
My interest in the nature of ritual developed through the study of ABGs. One of the key points raised in this study was the use of a generalised 'ritual' category as both a description and an explanation. This is related to the nature of ‘ritual’ as a concept. Handelman (2006) has pointed out that there is a meta-level ritual which encompasses all ritual activities. In effect, feasting, sacrifice and offering deposits are all separate ritual acts, which are classified under the general term ritual. There is also a meta-level concerning the functional/practical, with culling, disease, natural death etc, all part of the functional category of activities. However, my study into ABGs showed that 75% of ABGs interpreted as ritual in nature, were only described as 'ritual deposits'. Such interpretations do not actually inform us about the nature of the deposit, or the possible reasons for its creation. In zooarchaeological economic terms, it is the same as an archaeologist asking 'so what did they eat' and the zooarchaeologist replying 'food'.
We therefore need to move away from meta-level explanations of ritual, not only for ABGs, but other material culture and archaeological features. In particular to develop our understanding of ABGs, we need to develop more specific explanations. A possible way of doing this is the use of animal biographies.
Handelman, D. 2006. Conceptual alternatives to 'ritual'. In. J. Kreinath, J. Snoek & M. Stausberg (Eds.). Theorizing Rituals: Issues, Topics, Approaches, Concepts. Leiden, Brill, 37-49.
Relevant presentations
Remains to meaning; one to many. Iron Age Research Student Seminar (IARSS) 28th-29th, May, 2009, Bournemouth University.
The problem with ritual explanations. Beyond meta-level explanations of ritual session. TAG (Theoretical Archaeology Group), 2008, Southampton University.
Relevant Publications
Morris, J. 2010. Associated bone groups, beyond the Iron Age. In. J, Morris. and M, Maltby. (eds.). Integrating Social and Environmental Archaeologies; Reconsidering Deposition. Oxford. British Archaeological Reports International Series 2077. 12-23
Morris, J. (in press, 2010). The problem with ritual. In J, Morris and C, Randall (eds.). Ritual in Context: Explaining Ritual Complexity in Archaeology. Oxford. Oxbow.
Morris, J. and Randall, C. (in press, 2010) Ritual in context. In J, Morris and C, Randall (eds.). Ritual in Context: Explaining Ritual Complexity in Archaeology. Oxford. Oxbow.
Morris, J and Randall, C (eds.). (in press, 2010). Ritual in Context: Explaining Ritual Complexity in Archaeology. Oxford. Oxbow.
Morris, J. (in press, 2011) Animal 'ritual' killing; from remains to meanings. In. A, Pluskowski. (ed.). Animal Ritual Killing: European Perspectives. Oxford. Oxbow.
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