The Archaeology of Violence: Interdisciplinary Approaches (SUNY Series, The Institute for European and Mediterranean Archaeology Distinguished Monograph Series)

Interdisciplinary study of the role of violence in the Mediterranean and Europe. The Archaeology of Violence is an interdisciplinary consideration of the role of violence in social-cultural and sociopolitical contexts. The volume draws on the work of archaeologists, anthropologists, classicists, and art historians, all of whom have an interest in understanding the role of violence in their respective specialist fields in the Mediterranean and Europe. The focus is on three themes: contexts of violence, politics and identities of violence, and sanctified violence. In contrast to many past studies of violence, often defined by their subject specialism, or by a specific temporal or geographic focus, this book draws on a wide range of both temporal and spatial examples and offers new perspectives on the study of violence and its role in social and political change. Rather than simply equating violence with warfare, as has been done in many archaeological cases, the volume contends that the focus on warfare has been to the detriment of our understanding of other forms of “non-warfare” violence and has the potential to affect the ways in which violence is recognized and discussed by scholars, and ultimately has repercussions for understanding its role in society. Introduction : An Interdisciplinary Approach To The Study Of Violence / Sarah Ralph -- The Contexts Of Violence. Introduction / Sarunas Milisaukas -- War Without Warriors? : The Nature Of Interpersonal Conflict Before The Emergence Of Formalized Warrior Elites / Rick J. Schulting -- Warfare In Northern European Bronze Age Societies : Twentieth-century Presentations And Recent Archaeological Research Inquiries / Helle Vandkilde -- Violence As An Aspect Of The Durotriges Female Life Course / Rebecca C. Redfern -- Facing The Sword : Confronting The Realities Of Martial Violence And Other Mayhem, Present And Past / Simon T. James -- The Politics And Identities Of Violence. Introduction / Bradley A. Ault -- Violent Discourses : Visual Cannibalism And The Portraits Of Rome's Bad Emperors / Eric R. Varner -- An Offense To Honor Is Never Forgiven-- : Violence And Landscape Archaeology In Highland Northern Albania / Michael L. Galaty -- Persuade The People : Violence And Roman Spectacle Entertainment In The Greek World / Michael J. Carter -- Past War And European Identity : Making Conflict Archaeology Useful / John Carman -- Sanctified Violence. Introduction / Peter F. Biehl -- The State Of Sacrifice : Divine Power And Political Aspiration In Third Millennium Mesopotamia And Beyond / Anne Porter -- The Violent Ways Of Galatian Gordion / Mary M. Voigt -- An Archaeological Interpretation Of Irish Iron Age Bog Bodies / Eamonn P. Kelly -- The Archaeology Of Destruction : Christians, Images Of Classical Antiquity, And Some Problems Of Interpretation / John Pollini -- Epilogue / Keith F. Otterbein. Edited By Sarah Ralph. Originally Presented At The Second Institute For Mediterranean And European Archaeology Visiting Scholar Conference 2008, University At Buffalo Suny--p. 10. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. __Interdisciplinary study of the role of violence in the Mediterranean and Europe.____The Archaeology of Violence__In contrast to many past studies of violence, often defined by their subject specialism, or by a specific temporal or geographic focus, this book draws on a wide range of both temporal and spatial examples and offers new perspectives on the study of violence and its role in social and political change. Rather than simply equating violence with warfare, as has been done in many archaeological cases, the volume contends that the focus on warfare has been to the detriment of our understanding of other forms of “non-warfare” violence and has the potential to affect the ways in which violence is recognized and discussed by scholars, and ultimately has repercussions for understanding its role in society.