|
Showing 1 - 6 of
6 matches in All Departments
Caves and rockshelters in Europe have traditionally been associated
with prehistory, and in some regions cave archaeology has become
synonymous with the Palaeolithic. However, there is abundant
evidence that caves and rockshelters were important foci for
activities in historic times. During the medieval period (here
taken as AD 500–1500), caves were used for short-term shelter,
habitation, specialised craft activities, storage, as hideaways and
for tending animals, and also for religious purposes. Caves and
Ritual in Medieval Europe, AD 500–1500 focuses on this neglected
field of research face=Calibri>– the ritual and religious use
of caves. It draws together interdisciplinary studies by leading
specialists from across Europe: from Iberia to Crimea, and from
Malta to northern Norway. The different religions and rituals in
this vast area are unified by the use of caves and rockshelters,
indicating that the beliefs in these natural places
face=Calibri>– and in the power of the underworld – were
deeply embedded in many different religious practices. Christianity
was widespread and firmly established in most of Europe at this
time, and many of the contributions deal with different types of
Christian practices, such as the use of rock-cut churches,
unmodified caves for spiritual retreat, caves reputedly visited by
saints, and caves as places for burials. But parallel to this, some
caves were associated with localised popular religious practices,
which sometimes had pre-Christian origins. Muslims in Iberia used
caves for spiritual retreat, and outside the Christian domain in
northern Europe, caves and rockshelters were places for carving
symbols among Pictish groups, places for human burial, for bear
burials amongst the Sámi, and places for crafting and votive
deposition for Norse populations.
This book brings together a series of ground-breaking studies on
human bones and artefacts recovered from Irish caves principally
between 1870 and 1990. Until now these assemblages had either been
completely neglected or had not been examined with modern
techniques. The 15 expert contributions presented here shine a
light on the use and perception of caves at different times in the
past, from the Early Mesolithic through to post-medieval times. The
book opens with osteoarchaeological analyses of human bones from 24
caves, revealing complex and varied funerary practices and rituals.
Shell beads and animal tooth pendants provide insight into the
status of those whose skeletal remains were placed in caves.
Studies on lithics, stone axes and prehistoric pottery highlight
the changing roles of caves as places for shelter, occupation,
burial and ritual practices during the Mesolithic, Neolithic and
Bronze Age. An examination of the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age
metalwork contributes to wider evidence of votive deposition at
natural places in the landscape. Several chapters focus on the
wealth of early medieval and Viking-age activities, drawing on
pottery assemblages from caves along the north coast, to
ecclesiastical shrine fragments from sites in the south, as well as
Viking material from a growing number of caves. These studies will
be of interest to osteoarchaeologists; to those who specialise in
particular archaeological periods; to museumologists and artefact
specialists; to cave archaeologists; and to everyone interested in
Ireland's past.
Through time people have lived with darkness. Archaeology shows us
that over the whole human journey people have sought out dark
places, for burials, for votive deposition and sometimes for
retreat or religious ritual away from the wider community. Thirteen
papers explore Palaeolithic use of deep caves in Europe and the
orientation of mortuary monuments in the Neolithic and Bronze Age.
It examines how the senses are affected in caves and monuments that
were used for ritual activities, from Bronze Age miners in Wales
working in dangerous subterranean settings, to initiands in Italian
caves, to a modern caver's experience of spending time in the one
of the world's deepest caves in Russia. We see how darkness was and
is viewed at northern latitudes where parts of the year are spent
in eternal night, and in Easter Island where darkness provided
communal refuge from the pervasive sun. We know that spending
extended periods in darkness and silence can affect one physically,
emotionally and spiritually. How did interactions between people
and darkness affect individuals in the past and how were regarded
by their communities? And how did this interaction transform places
in the landscape? As the ever-increasing electrification of the
planet steadily minimises the amount of darkness in our lives,
curiously, darkness is coming more into focus. This first
collection of papers on the subject begins a conversation about the
role of darkness in human experience through time.
The Archaeology of Caves in Ireland is a ground-breaking and unique
study of the enigmatic, unseen and dark silent world of caves.
People have engaged with caves for the duration of human occupation
of the island, spanning 10,000 years. In prehistory, subterranean
landscapes were associated with the dead and the spirit world, with
evidence for burials, funerary rituals and votive deposition. The
advent of Christianity saw the adaptation of caves as homes and
places of storage, yet they also continued to feature in religious
practice. Medieval mythology and modern folklore indicate that
caves were considered places of the supernatural, being
particularly associated with otherworldly women. Through a
combination of archaeology, mythology and popular religion, this
book takes the reader on a fascinating journey that sheds new light
on a hitherto neglected area of research. It encourages us to
consider what underground activities might reveal about the lives
lived aboveground, and leaves us in no doubt as to the cultural
significance of caves in the past. Winner of the Current
Archaeology Book of the Year 2016 award. Winner of the Tratman 2015
Award.
The Archaeology of Caves in Ireland is a ground-breaking and unique
study of the enigmatic, unseen and dark silent world of caves.
People have engaged with caves for the duration of human occupation
of the island, spanning 10,000 years. In prehistory, subterranean
landscapes were associated with the dead and the spirit world, with
evidence for burials, funerary rituals and votive deposition. The
advent of Christianity saw the adaptation of caves as homes and
places of storage, yet they also continued to feature in religious
practice. Medieval mythology and modern folklore indicate that
caves were considered places of the supernatural, being
particularly associated with otherworldly women. Through a
combination of archaeology, mythology and popular religion, this
book takes the reader on a fascinating journey that sheds new light
on a hitherto neglected area of research. It encourages us to
consider what underground activities might reveal about the lives
lived aboveground, and leaves us in no doubt as to the cultural
significance of caves in the past. Winner of the Current
Archaeology Book of the Year 2016 award. Winner of the Tratman 2015
Award.
In 2011, cavers exploring a little-known cave on Moneen Mountain in
County Clare in the west of Ireland discovered part of a human
skull, pottery and an antler implement. An archaeological
excavation followed, leading to the discovery of large quantities
of Bronze Age pottery, butchered animal bones and oyster shells.
The material suggests that Moneen Cave was visited intermittently
as a sacred place in the Bronze Age landscape. People climbed the
mountain, squeezed through the small opening in the cave roof,
dropped down into the chamber, and left offerings on a large
boulder that dominates the internal space. The excavation also
resulted in the recovery of the skeletal remains of an adolescent
boy who appears to have died in the cave in the 16th or 17th
century. Scientific analyses revealed he had endured periods of
malnutrition and ill health, providing insight into the hardships
faced by many children in post-medieval Ireland.
|
You may like...
Loot
Nadine Gordimer
Paperback
(2)
R398
R330
Discovery Miles 3 300
Loot
Nadine Gordimer
Paperback
(2)
R398
R330
Discovery Miles 3 300
Loot
Nadine Gordimer
Paperback
(2)
R398
R330
Discovery Miles 3 300
Poor Things
Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, …
DVD
R357
Discovery Miles 3 570
|