如何考古，怎樣思考：性別觀點如何撼動考古學

by Rosemary A. Joyce

性別觀點是為了超越性別，看見人類社會更豐富的可能性
馬雅研究、性別研究專家、歐巴馬任命的文化資產諮詢委員
揭露我們思考的盲點

——台大人類系副教授江芝華專文導讀・審訂——

　　我們經常透過考古學研究，建構「人類的史前史」，再以此證明自古以來人類具有如何的天性，例如將挖掘出來豐乳肥臀的小雕像直接當成「女神崇拜」或「母權社會」的證據。帶著現代人習以為常的成見，不加思索地，頻頻在考古現場現場尋找「何為男性」「何為女性」活動的證明，殊不知將人群分成「不是男性，就是女性」的二元區分，本身就是一種僵固的思考模式，只要堅持帶著這種思考的模式，就幾乎能找到相對應的證據，達到自我證成。

　　以上的偏見，在一九六〇、七〇年代性別觀點的介入之後，有了全新的見解。

　　作者是馬雅研究的專家，參與世界各大博物館的展示規劃。在本書，她綜合考古學發人深省的前沿研究，重新打開原先蓋棺論定的結論，展示考古學如何在性別觀點的帶領下，以更科學、更有邏輯的解釋，推論出更動態、更細緻辯證的考古研究成果。

　　舉例來說，
　　■ 墓葬的華麗與否，和男女之別無關，可能跟墓主的年齡更加相關。
　　■ 女性並不總是比男性處於較低的社會位置，例如：紡織並不只是家務事，而是家族晉身顯赫地位的管道；廚房也並不總是與外界隔絕的空間，舉辦饗宴、提供餐飲是一個家族拉攏政治同盟的聯誼活動。
　　■ 同一社會階層的男性和女性，可能比女性之間，有更多的相同之處。
　　■ 在不同的身體觀之下，「非異性戀的性行為」可能也具有生育的功能。
　　■ 如果連自然界的性染色體都不是那麼涇渭分明，不是「非XX即XY」，又如何能斷定一座小雕像的性別？

　　本書跳脫考古學只是為了替器物分類和鑑定的學問，而是從人類經驗的多樣化，來思考證據背後的社會生活。不再只是像標本蒐集癖一樣分類文物，而是能有正確想像過去的能力。性別考古學不只是敲醒我們對性別的誤判、對證據的視而不見，更是帶領我們看見性別以外的可能性，那些關於社會差異和權力運作的事。

　　專文導讀、審訂
　　江芝華（台大人類系副教授）

Genres: Archaeology, Nonfiction, History, Anthropology, Gender, Class, Sexuality

208 pages, Paperback

First published May 26, 2008

About the author

Rosemary Joyce is the Alice Davis Endowed Chair in Anthropology at the University of California, Berkeley, and received her PhD from the University of Illinois-Urbana in 1985

Reviews

[lizard · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The experiences of people in the contemporary world are actually a good deal more varied than those expected under the normative two-sex/two-gender model. Nor perhaps is the normative model as deeply rooted in society or nature as it's apologists like to suggest."

[Trinity Benstock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good, though could’ve been 20 page shorter. I agree with other reviews that Joyce repeats herself too much, especially the phrase “2 gender binary”. Nonetheless, this book provides an excellent introduction to gender archaeology written by someone at the forefront of the field. This introductory nature- the book just runs down examples of where our assumptions on binary modes of gender/sex are irrelevant and inaccurate- serves a good glean.

[Andrei · Rating 4 out of 5]

It feels like a book that really only says "here's how our construction of gender misinforms us about the past", however I know that if I return to it in a few years, it'll tell me something slightly different. I love books like these! Open it for a peek into how many ways people can and have thought about gender, and learn about how gender manifests in the archaeological record.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This academic-style book had a slow, repetitive start. The second half, however, was informative with several interesting examples of how we must confront our own biases when interpreting evidence from the past.

[Ellenore Clementine Kruger · Rating 1 out of 5]

Maybe I was seeing through strange eyes, but I felt some of this was offensive. She would say gay fluid absorption was creative, but I felt mostly dismay about how fluid is mostly viral transmission, not really muscle. So I felt disappointment, like the book lacked a moral spine and gave too much credit. I also read too much about crimes against children and know that controlling the body for ethical purposes is healthier. And there were some difficult pictures for me. The writing was chewy. I could not enjoy this.

[Rubén Jerez Brenes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Redactado con un lenguaje muy claro e ilustrado a través muchos ejemplos. Es una obra destinada a un público especializado, pero un entusiasta de la arqueología también podrá disfrutarla y sacarle mucho provecho. Introduce la arqueología de género como área de investigación arqueológica y establece cual es el panorama teórico actual desde el cual son abordados sexo y género en la reconstrucción del pasado.

[Miranda · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's an interesting topic, but the presentation leaves a lot to be desired. Try as it might to present itself otherwise, the book is too mired in Eurocentric, antiquated ideas of "biological sex". Although it might be new information for some people, there is too much to unpack for me to be able to recommend this to anyone.

[нєνєℓ ¢ανα · Rating 5 out of 5]

Speaking in terms of academic, the approach is phenomenal and revealing. Well written, inquisitive, reflecting the lucid horizon of gender and its constructs around history and archeology, this book explores the dynamics between ideas and their reflection on the community in terms of sex and sexual behavior and herarchy.

[Jayme Horne · Rating 4 out of 5]

As far as Joyce's work goes, I do think this might be her weakest publication. However, it is still a must-read for anyone interested in gender and archeology, as well as the ancient Maya. It's pretty easy to get through in one sitting as well!

[Rebe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ancient Bodies explores other ways of interpreting the remains of ancient cultures, predominantly from the Americas (like the Mayans), often disagreeing with archaeologists whose focus on sex/gender has blinded them to other, more accurate ways of understanding these cultures' treatment of societal roles, such as religious or class explanations.
I like the idea of getting away from 20th century Western biases when studying ancient cultures, and Joyce covers the topic thoroughly and convincingly. However, I didn't actually find this book to be interesting at all, mostly because I'm bored by archaeology and that's the focus of this book. If not required for my Gender & Society class, I never would've read this. Recommended for those interested in archaeology but not necessarily for those, like me, who are just interested in gender studies.

[Kelly Collins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perhaps because this book was published in 2008, there may not have been as much familiarity or normalcy of terms used to speak about gender non-conforming individuals; I was still quite surprised at how much the narrative concentrated around dividing archaeological sites and materials into a male-female dichotomy of gender, even when discussing those individuals in communities who Joyce terms “third gender.”

The archaeological details were accessible even as someone without a background in the discipline, but the limitations of looking at Ancient peoples in the context of a male-female binary were hard to look past, even as Joyce attempts to push back against this understanding.

[Imogen Herrad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating, inspiring, through-provoking, full of lightbulb moments. A beautifully lucid and very readable book, written by a professor of archaeology who wants to ask questions and more than she provides answers. Everybody who is at all interested in history, or gender, or people, should read this book.

[Camille Cronkhite · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic and necessary contribution to archaeology

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating. It's a little dry with it's academic approach, but I went around blurting out juicy tidbits to everyone around me.