E-Book Overview
How did ancient peoples experience, view, and portray the night? What was it like to live in the past when total nocturnal darkness was the norm? "Archaeology of the Night" explores the archaeology, anthropology, mythology, iconography, and epigraphy of nocturnal practices and questions the dominant models of daily ancient life. A diverse team of experienced scholars uses a variety of methods and resources to reconstruct how ancient peoples navigated the night and what their associated daily - and nightly - practices were. This collection challenges modern ideas and misconceptions regarding the night and what darkness and night symbolized in the ancient world, and it highlights the inherent research bias in favor of "daytime" archaeology. Numerous case studies from around the world (including Oman, Mesoamerica, Scandinavia, Rome, Great Zimbabwe, Indus Valley, Peru, and Cahokia) illuminate subversive, social, ritual, domestic, and work activities, such as witchcraft, ceremonies, feasting, sleeping, nocturnal agriculture, and much more. Were there artifacts particularly associated with the night? Authors investigate individuals and groups (both real and mythological) who share a special connection to nighttime life. Reconsidering the archaeological record, "Archaeology of the Night" views sites, artifacts, features, and cultures from a unique perspective. This book is relevant to anthropologists and archaeologists and also to scholars of human geography, history, astronomy, sensory studies, human biology, folklore, and mythology.
E-Book Content
Archaeology Night of the Archaeology Night of the Life after Dark i n t h e A n c i e n t W o r ld Edited by Nancy Gonlin & April Nowell University Press of Colorado Boulder © 2018 by University Press of Colorado Published by University Press of Colorado 5589 Arapahoe Avenue, Suite 206C Boulder, Colorado 80303 All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America The University Press of Colorado is a proud member of the Association of American University Presses. The University Press of Colorado is a proud member of Association of American University Presses. The University Press of Colorado is a cooperative publishing enterprise supported, in part, by Adams State University, Colorado State University, Fort Lewis College, Metropolitan State University of Denver, Regis University, University of Colorado, University of Northern Colorado, Utah State University, and Western State Colorado University. ∞ This paper meets the requirements of the ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992 (Permanence of Paper). ISBN: 978-1-60732-677-9 (cloth) ISBN: 978-1-60732-678-6 (ebook) DOI: 10.5876/9781607326786 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Gonlin, Nancy, editor. | Nowell, April, 1969– editor. Title: Archaeology of the night : life after dark in ancient world / edited by Nancy Gonlin and April Nowell. Description: Boulder : University Press of Colorado, [2017] | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2017018223| ISBN 9781607326779 (cloth) | ISBN 9781607326786 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: Night—Social aspects. | Night—Religious aspects. | Antiquities, Prehistoric. Classification: LCC GT3408 .A74 2017 | DDC 304.2/37—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017018223 The University Press of Colorado gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the University of Victoria toward the publication of this book. Cover photograph © Justin Kerr file no. 5877 Nan: For my incredible siblings—Alice, James, Jeffrey, Robert, Thomas, Richard, and Patti—with heartfelt appreciation and love for sharing fun-filled childhood nights, complete with monsters and moonlight April: For Jon, Ruka, and James; and for Mom and Stephen with much love Contents List of Figures xi List of Tables xv Foreword