Engendering Archaeology: Women and Prehistory

Over the past twenty years, feminist thinking has profoundly influenced almost every field of the humanities and social sciences, and has impinged upon both the content and methodology of social enquiry. Moreover, human social structures in prehistory have always been a subject of great interest to feminist scholars, who have sought in them an understanding of the origins of inequality between the sexes and of the part women have played in the rise of societies and states. This pathbreaking book brings gender issues to archaeology for the first time, in an explicit and theoretically informed way. In it, leading archaeologists from around the world contribute original analyses of prehistoric data to discover how gender systems operated in the past. The scope of the studies is broad: chapters range from hunter–gatherer societies, through early agricultural communities, to civilizations of the Old and the New Worlds, across Europe, Asia and the Americas. Discussion of such diverse archaeological arenas as art, the domestication of plants, shellfishing, acorn processing, stone tool production and ceramics, and the arrangement and use of space for social, residential and work activities, demonstrates how the extent and significance of woman′s role in the prehistoric world has previously been devalued. Engendering Archaeology exposes the androcentric nature of traditional archaeological enquiry, from its assumptions and preconceptions to the presentation of evidence and knowledge. It questions the accounts of mankind′s history that have been common currency, and demonstrates convincingly the centrality of the past to any considerations of gender.

Preface. Part I: Considerations for an Archaeology of Gender: . 1. Tensions, Pluralities, and Engendering Archaeology: An Introduction to Women and Prehistory: Margaret W. Conkey and Joan M. Gero (University of California at Berkeley and University of South Carolina). 2. Gender Theory and the Archaeological Record: Why is There No Archaeology of Gender?: Alison Wylie (University of Western Ontario). Part II: Space and Gender Relations: . 3. Contexts of Action, Contexts for Power: Material Culture and Gender in the Magdalenian: Margaret W. Conkey (University of California at Berkeley). 4. Households with Faces: The Challenge of Gender in Prehistoric Architectural Remains: Ruth E. Tringham (University of California at Berkeley). 5. Gender, Space and Food in Prehistory: Christine A. Hastorf (University of Minnesota). Part III: Material Aspects of Gender Production: . 6. Genderlithics: Women′s Role in Stone Tool Production: Joan M. Gero (University of South Carolina). 7. Women′s Labor and Pottery Production in Prehistory: Rita P. Wright (University of New York). 8. Weaving and Cooking: Women′s Production in Aztec Mexico: Elizabeth Brumfiel (Albion College). Part IV: Gender and Food Systems: . 9. The Development of Horticulture in the Eastern Woodlands of North America: Women′s Role: Patty Jo Watson and Mary C. Kennedy (Washington University). 10. Shellfishing and the Shell Mound Archaic: Cheryl P. Claassen (Appalachian State University). 11. Pounding Acorn: Women′s Production as Social and Economic Focus: Thomas Jackson (Biosystems Analysis, Inc.). Part V: Images of Gender: . 12. Whose Art was Found at Lepenski Vir? Gender Relations and Power in Prehistory: Russell G. Handsman (American Indian Archaeological Institute). 13. Women in a Men′s World: Images of Sumerian Women: Susan Pollock (State University of New York at Binghamton). 14. What this All Means: Towards a Feminist Archaeology: Janet D. Spector (University of Minnesota). Epilogue: Henrietta L. Moore (London School of Economics and University of London).

Joan M. Gero is Assistant Professor and Graduate Director in the Department of Anthropology at the University of South Carolina. She has previously edited The Sociopolitics of Archaeology. Margaret W. Conkey is Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Californis, at Berkeley.

" Engendering Archaeology advances significantly the small but growing literature on gender in archeology." Archeology