AR249 Archaeological approaches to Ritual and religion (option)

Module Summary

This course will focus on if, how and to what extend we may be able to investigate religious ideas and practices in prehistory based on archaeological data. The course will provide and overview of the research history on the theme, but will predominatnly focus on the most recent approaches and studies. The course will discuss the relevant concepts and their definitions (e.g. ritual, offering, votive finds) and look into various theoretical and methodological approaches to ritual and religion. The course will also discuss the importance of embodiment and sensory experience in past ritual practices. Although burials and burial customs will be considered, the main focus will be on other types of data, such as votive depositions, monuments, natural places and rock art. Examples and case studies will be drawn from prehistoric northern and western Europe.

Core Texts

• Bradley, R. 2000. An Archaeology of Natural Places, London, Routledge.
• Fredengren, C. 2002. Crannogs: a study of people's interaction with lakes, with particular reference to Lough Gara in the north-west of Ireland. Wicklow: Wordwell.
• Hammer, O., Jensen, T. and Warburton, D. (eds). In press.  Pre-Christian Religions of Europe. London: Equinox.
• Insoll, T. 2004. Archaeology, Ritual, Religion. London: Routledge.

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