The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of Ritual and Religion provides a comprehensive overview by period and region of the relevant archaeological material in relation to theory, methodology, definition, and practice. Although, as the title indicates, the focus is upon archaeological investigations of ritual and religion, by necessity ideas and evidence from other disciplines are also included, among them anthropology, ethnography, religious studies, and history. The Handbook covers a global span - Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, and the Americas - and reaches from the earliest prehistory (the Lower and Middle Palaeolithic) to modern times. In addition, chapters focus upon relevant themes, ranging from landscape to death, from taboo to water, from gender to rites of passage, from ritual to fasting and feasting. Written by over sixty specialists, renowned in their respective fields, the Handbook presents the very best in current scholarship, and will serve both as a comprehensive introduction to its subject and as a stimulus to further research.

Figurines dating from prehistory have been found across the world but have never before been considered globally. The Oxford Handbook of Prehistoric Figurines is the first book to offer a comparative survey of this kind, bringing together approaches from across the landscape of contemporary research into a definitive resource in the field. The volume is comprehensive, authoritative, and accessible, with dedicated and fully illustrated chapters covering figurines from the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australasia and the Pacific laid out by geographical location and written by the foremost scholars in figurine studies; wherever prehistoric figurines are found they have been expertly described and examined in relation to their subject matter, form, function, context, chronology, meaning, and interpretation. Specific themes that are discussed by contributors include, for example, theories of figurine interpretation, meaning in processes and contexts of figurine production, use, destruction and disposal, and the cognitive and social implications of representation. Chronologically, the coverage ranges from the Middle Palaeolithic through to areas and periods where an absence of historical sources renders figurines 'prehistoric' even though they might have been produced in the mid-2nd millennium AD, as in parts of sub-Saharan Africa. The result is a synthesis of invaluable insights into past thinking on the human body, gender, identity, and how the figurines might have been used, either practically, ritually, or even playfully.

The Archaeology of Identities brings together seventeen seminal articles from this exciting new discipline in one indispensable volume for the first time. Editor Timothy Insoll expertly selects a cross-section of contributions by leading authorities to form a comprehensive and balanced representation of approaches and interests. Issues covered include: gender and sexuality ethnicity, nationalism and caste age ideology disability. Chapters are thematically arranged and are contextualized with lucid summaries and an introductory chapter, providing an accessible introduction to the varied selection of case studies included and archaeological materials considered from global sources. The study of identity is increasingly recognized as a fundamental division of archaeological enquiry, and has recently become the focus of a variety of new and challenging developments. As such, this volume will fast become the definitive sourcebook in archaeology of identities, making it essential reading for students, lecturers and researchers in the field.

The archaeology of religion is a much neglected area, yet religious sites and artifacts constitute a major area of archaeological evidence. Timothy Insoll here presents an introductory statement on the archaeology of religion, examining what archaeology can tell us about religion, the problems of defining and theorizing religion in archaeology, and the methodology, or how to "do," the archaeology of religion.
This volume assesses religion and ritual through a range of examples from around the world and across time, including prehistoric religions, shamanism, African religions, death, landscape, and even food. Insoll also discusses the history of research and varying theories in this field before looking to future research directions. This book will be a valuable guide for students and archaeologists, and will initiate a major area of debate.

The archaeology of religion is a much neglected area, yet religious sites and artefacts constitute a major area of archaeological evidence. Timothy Insoll presents an introductory statement on the archaeology of religion, examining what archaeology can tell us about religion, the problems of defining and theorizing religion in archaeology, and the methodology, or how to 'do', the archaeology of religion.
This volume assesses religion and ritual through a range of examples from around the world and across time, including prehistoric religions, shamanism, African religions, death, landscape and even food. Insoll also discusses the history of research and varying theories in this field before looking to future research directions. This book will be a valuable guide for students and archaeologists, and initiate a major area of debate.

This work explores the relationship between, and the contribution archaeology can make to the study of what are today termed "World Religions", namely Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism. Divided into two parts, it first surveys each of the religions in question and then goes on to address the important themes of ethics, gender and death. The contributors consider a number of questions: can religious (sacred) texts be treated as historical documents, or do they merit special treatment?; does archaeology with its emphasis on material culture dispel notions of the ideal/divine within religious texts and what are the implications of this possible conflict?; and does the study of archaeology and religion lead to differing interpretations of the same event?;In what ways does the notion of a uniform religious identity exist, the ideal Muslim or Christian for example, and is this recognisable in the archaeological record through diet, dress, sacred buildings, burials, art and iconography, landscapes and personal possessions? Clearly written and up-to-date, this volume should be of especial significance to anyone interested in archaeology and religion.

Archaeology and World Religion is an important new work, being the first to examine these two vast topics together. The volume explores the relationship between, and the contribution archaeology can make to the study of 'World Religions'.
The contributors consider a number of questions:
* can religious (sacred) texts be treated as historical documents, or do they merit special treatment?
* Does archaeology with its emphasis on material culture dispel notions of the ideal/divine?
* Does the study of archaeology and religion lead to differing interpretations of the same event?
* In what ways does the notion of a uniform religious identity exist and is this recognisable in the archaeological record?
Clearly written and up-to-date, this volume will be an indispensable research tool for academics and specialists in these fields.

The Archaeology of Identities brings together seventeen seminal articles from this exciting new discipline in one indispensable volume for the first time. Editor Timothy Insoll expertly selects a cross-section of contributions by leading authorities to form a comprehensive and balanced representation of approaches and interests. Issues covered include: gender and sexuality ethnicity, nationalism and caste age ideology disability. Chapters are thematically arranged and are contextualized with lucid summaries and an introductory chapter, providing an accessible introduction to the varied selection of case studies included and archaeological materials considered from global sources. The study of identity is increasingly recognized as a fundamental division of archaeological enquiry, and has recently become the focus of a variety of new and challenging developments. As such, this volume will fast become the definitive sourcebook in archaeology of identities, making it essential reading for students, lecturers and researchers in the field.

This comprehensive study of the impact of Islam in sub-Saharan Africa charts the historical background and archaeological evidence attesting to the spread of Islam across the Sudan, Ethiopia, Eastern Africa, Southern Africa and Nigeria. Surveying a timespan from the immediate pre-Islamic period through to the present, Timothy Insoll analyzes the processes (jihad, trade, missionary activity, prestige) by which Islam spread. This book is relevant to scholars, students and all readers interested in Africa, archaeology, religion and Islam.

This comprehensive study of the impact of Islam in sub-Saharan Africa charts the historical background and archaeological evidence attesting to the spread of Islam across the Sudan, Ethiopia, Eastern Africa, Southern Africa and Nigeria. Surveying a timespan from the immediate pre-Islamic period through to the present, Timothy Insoll analyzes the processes (jihad, trade, missionary activity, prestige) by which Islam spread. This book is relevant to scholars, students and all readers interested in Africa, archaeology, religion and Islam.

People have lived on the islands of Bahrain for over six thousand years. There are traces of their lives scattered across the landscape or hidden in the sands: burial mounds, villages, palaces, temples and forts. This guidebook introduces readers to Bahrain's rich and varied past, and takes them to some of the most important sites in the Kingdom. Using the evidence from decades of archaeological work it not only details what can be seen by the visitor today, but how people once lived, worked and worshipped here. It is an indispensable guide for residents and visitors to Bahrain's unique heritage. '...written in a clear, authoritative voice and is packed with useful information and insights. As a guidebook it is an excellent model. One can only regret that ongoing political tensions in Bahrain will no doubt impact tourism there for some time to come. Yet anyone travelling to Bahrain, or any scholar interested in a short overview of the island's main sites and finds, will profit from this nicely produced volume.' (Orientalistische Literaturzeitung 108 (2013) 2 p.99)

This volume contains eleven papers, the vast majority of which present the results of recent excavations and field work in Ghana. Timothy Insoll's opening paper analyses the perspectives of current archaeologists at the University of Ghana on how they see their department and discipline within the university and country and how they see the future of the discipline.

This collection of twelve papers, the proceedings of a conference on archaeology and religion held in Manchester in 2002, aims to bring together these two fields which have had an unhappy relationship in the past. Ritual' is the last resort when the archaeological evidence resists interpretation, perhaps because, as Timothy Insoll argues, archaeologists view the world through secular eyes. The contributions examine a range of sites, from different periods and cultures, in order to suggest new ways of assessing the material evidence. Religion, after all, might have been the primary factor in shaping past societies. Subjects include: the archaeology of Norse religion; the archaeology of the Mesaran Tholos tombs; cult places in Minoan Crete; the Neolithic Sweet Track' of Somerset; neurophenomenology; the archaeology of Ethiopian monasticism; smelting iron in Ethiopia; India's Temple City'; the modern history of Sanchi, a site of Buddhist monuments; royal funerals and sacrifices in Nepal; Christianity and conversion in south-west Britain.

An unadulterated report on the results of excavations and surveys in the area around Gao, Mali in western Africa. This volume should be studied alongside the report on earlier work at the site ( Islam, Archaeology and History: The Gao Region of Mali BAR S647, 1996), and focuses on the environmental and artefactual remains: botanical evidence, fauna, molluscs, fish bones; beads, lithics, spindle whorls, metal and miscellaneous finds. This project has brought a better understanding of this area of Africa and of the importance of Gao as a trade centre in the early second millennium AD.

These eighteen papers (plus introduction)were given at 'The Cambridge Conference on Archaeology and World Religion: The Examples of Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism', held at Cambridge, 14-16th April 1998. The papers deal with a diverse range of subjects, although they are all based on archaeological research and/or results. The papers deal with subjects of: sacred space, theoretical issues, iconography, aspects of a religious whole and the development and understanding of world religions.

Gao in Mali is situated near the northern bend of the Niger river in the western Sahel; it was of prime importance in the spread of Islam and trans-Saharan contacts and trade. This volume reviews the results of archaeological survey and excavation in the region, including the author's own fieldwork; the spread of Islam is considered from the archaeological evidence and for its effect on the political and social structures of the region.