Belief in the Past: Theoretical Approaches to the Archaeology of Religion

by Kelley Hays-Gilpin (Editor), David S. Whitley (Editor)

Human actions are often deeply intertwined with religion and can be understood in a strictly religious context. Yet, many volumes and articles pertaining to discussions of religion in the archaeological past have focused primarily on the sociopolitical implications of such remains. The authors in this volume argue that while these interpretations certainly have a meaningful place in understanding the human past, they provide only part of the picture. Because strictly religious contexts have often been ignored, this has resulted in an incomplete assessment of religious behavior in the past. This volume considers exciting new directions for considering an archaeology of religion, offering examples from theory, tangible archaeological remains, and ethnography.

289 pages, Paperback

First published June 30, 2008

About the author

Dr. Kelley Hays-Gilpin is the Edward Bridge Danson, Jr. Chair of Anthropology at the Museum of Northern Arizona and also Professor of Anthropology at Northern Arizona University. She holds a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Arizona, and has nearly 40 years of experience studying rock art, pottery, and other visual arts in the Southwest. Her current research focuses on the long-term histories and arts of Hopi and Zuni communities and their relationships with land and water. She is investigating culturally appropriate museum curation techniques in collaboration with Indigenous scholars, and planning new exhibits for MNA’s galleries and publications about MNA’s collections.

Reviews

[Mills College Library]

200.9 B4313 2008