Gender in Ancient Cyprus; Narratives of Social Change on a Mediterranean Island [Hardcover]

Diane Bolger (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0759104298 | ISBN-13: 978-0759104297 | Publication Date: November 20, 2003

Archaeological research of the Near East lags behind other regions in its consideration of gender-related issues in its treatment of the past. Diane Bolger's present work contributes to the nascent research that aims to fill this gap. Gender in Ancient Cyprus examines some of the fundamental facets of gender as they intersect with the dynamics of social, political, and economic change in Cyprus, beginning with the earliest traces of human habitation on the island to the final phases of the Bronze Age. The book closely analyzes gender as it relates to the domestic space, technology and labor, ritual and social identity, and the roles of children, as well as the practices of modern day Near Eastern archaeology and the roles of women in it. Parallels are drawn to more developed cases elsewhere in the world. This volume is important for scholars and students interested in gender-sensitive interpretations of the archaeological record and in the ways that gender reshapes its present practices.

Editorial Reviews

Review

[T]his volume is a tour de force of gender archeology. Bolger controls the latest literature and discusses the application of old and new theories to the sites at hand. The book is written for the practicing archaeologist, but students can benefit from its transparent structure and detailed exposition of archaeological data. Courses in gender and archaeology will profit from its use, regardless of the region that is most familiar to the instructor. The volume will also provide an excellent addition to courses on Mediterranean, Near Eastern, or European archaeology. (Nelson, Sarah Milledge From The Foreword )

Diane Bolger, the acknowledged principal researcher in the nascent field of gender studies in Cypriot archaeology, offers a most insightful volume. Assessing patterns of gender relations in the daily arena in ancient Cyprus over a span of nearly 8,000 years, she presents a masterful treatment of the material record that encompasses domestic structures, economic activities, anthropomorphic figurines, the roles of children and adolescents, and mortuary practices. Her integration of the context of material remains in tandem with social and economic progressions promises to forge new perspectives on the reality of human interaction and identity in Cyprus during the prehistoric period. This book will break new ground in the field of Cypriot studies. (Serwint, Nancy )

A diligent presentation of theoretical premises and contextualized evidence, with appendixes to orient nonspecialists to prehistoric Cyprus, makes this book useful to both Cyprus specialists and anyone interested in the potential of archaeology to create a more fully gendered past. Highly recommended. (S. Langdon Choice )

Bolger's new monograph represents a pioneering attempt to highlight the role of women and men in reconstructing the Cypriot past. . . . she treats a span of nearly eight thousand years with a fluency and competence that instill admiration and warrant recognition. . . Anyone with an abiding interest in Mediterranean, and especially Cypriot, archaeology can but gratefully acknowledge Bolger's fortitude an determination in undertaking this unprecedented foray into one of archaeology's most volatile and difficult interpretative arenas (gender relations), in a cultural area (Cyprus) that remains staunchly resistant to theoretical and social approaches. I have learned a great deal from Bolger's study, and will use this volume not only in my own research but also as a key reference in courses I teach on Mediterranean and Cypriot archaeology, and on archaeological theory. (Journal Of The American Oriental Society )

Bolger's book deserves the attention of anyone interested in social and economic reality in antiquity, especially throughout the Mediterranean and ancient Near East. It is highly readable, concise, well illustrated and informative. It will help all those working in the region to better understand the role of women in specific cultures and throughout the region. (Near Eastern Archaeology )

Diane Bolger has produced a highly provocative, lucid, and well-researched study on gender and Cypriot prehistory. The first of its kind, the book lays out a series of overlapping arguments about the ways in which gendered identities were realigned and reconstituted over the course of eight millennia, from the first hunter-gatherers on the island to the urban polities of the Late Bronze Age. The book is rich in detail and insight, exploring the intersections between gender, social agency, domestic space, lifecycles, technology, labor, mortuary evidence, sexual ambiguity, and ritual performance. Bolger succeeds superbly in unmasking long-standing biases and intelligently placing gender at the forefront of Cypriot scholarship. (Lauren E. Talalay )

About the Author

Bolger is a Research Fellow in the Department of Archaeology, University of Edinburgh, Scotland

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Altamira Press (November 20, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0759104298
• ISBN-13: 978-0759104297
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,378,365 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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