Gender Archaeology

by Marie Louise Stig Sørensen

This major new textbook explores the relations between gender and archaeology, providing an innovative and important account of how material culture is used in the construction of gender. Throughout this lively and accessible text, Sorensen engages with the question of how gender is materially constituted, and examines the intersection of social and material concerns from the Palaeolithic Age to the present day. Part One discusses a range of important general issues, beginning with an overview of the recent role of gender and gender relations in our appropriation of past societies. After introducing the debate about feminist or gender archaeology, Sorensen examines archaeology's concern with the sex/gender distinction, the nature of negotiation, and feminist epistemological claims in relation to archaeology. In Part Two, the author focuses on the materiality of gender, exploring it through case studies ranging from prehistory to contemporary society. Food, dress, space and contact are examined in turn, to show how they express and negotiate gender roles. This illustrated textbook will be essential reading for students and scholars in archaeology, anthropology, material culture studies and women's studies.

Genres: Archaeology, History

248 pages, Paperback

First published August 29, 2000

Reviews

[Karl · Rating 2 out of 5]

"As iron technology is more complicated than bronze, it probably also resulted in the development of specialists and more rigid labour divisions. The impact of these changes upon gender relations has not yet been considered, although the parallels with the impact of contact should now challenge us to explore how these technological changes affected negotiation and transformation of gender relations as new ways of living together came into being" (Sørensen: 179)

This book is about gender archaelogy and it tells you why gender archaelogy is relevant or its evolution as a field of study. I did not get what gender archaelogy really means until page 72 and perhaps this should have happend earlier. Before that the author defines sex and gender, or how women have been so far studied and displayed in archaelogy and museums. A new method of analysis/display is provided, which is great.

The book is written in such a way that I had to reread some paragraphs. I think the problem lies in the syntax, as a few sentences are way too long. The number of references to other scholars was huge in my opinion.

The case studies in the book did not seem to me always revelatory, as most of them haven't been fully explored yet or still need to be investigated. Because they are not fully explored, it is unknown whether a case is the norm or gender-based at all. Chapter 9 was my favourite chapter and I felt chapter 10 was the most assertive one.

The book was written in 2000, when gender archaelogy was probably still not that popular. This is why the book feels so hypothetical and defensive about gender archaelogy. Therefore, an updated version is urgently needed.

[Saz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring. I am actually interested in the subject, but this wasnt quite my cup of tea.

[Emma]

DNF

[Tara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fave quote: "When Megan was about three years old one of my husband's female colleagues came around. I rarely drink beer and Megan had never seen me do so, but the woman accepted one. Megan looked at the woman drinking and asked in a child's theatrical whisper 'Is it a man?'" (p 74).