Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-n9wrp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-18T05:29:49.889Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Ritual, Context, and Gender in Neolithic South-Eastern Italy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 January 2017

Robin Skeates
Robin Skeates*
Affiliation:
School of History and Archaeology, University of Wales, P.O. Box 909, Cardiff CF1 3XU, Great Britain
Get access

Abstract

An attempt to demonstrate the importance of a contextual approach in the interpretation of prehistoric ritual is made through a critique of Ruth Whitehouse's recent work, Underground Religion. Cult and culture in prehistoric Italy, and through a re-examination of the spatial, material, historical, and social context of the ritual use of caves in south-eastern Italy, with special reference to Grotta di Porto Badisco and other Neolithic and early-Copper-Age sites in the Salento peninsula. Alternative interpretations are offered which focus upon: variations over space and time in the use of caves for different activities; a notion of complementarity and mutuality in Neolithic gender relations; and the existence of a degree of male-bias in the archaeological evidence of the symbolic construction of gender in Grotta di Porto Badisco.

Un essai pour démontrer l'importance de l'approche contextuelle pour interpréter les rites préhistoriques est fait à travers la critique du travail récent de Ruth Whitehouse, Religion souterraine Culte et culture en ltalie Préhistorique, et à travers un re-examen du contexte spatial, matériel, historique et social de l'utilisation rituelle de cavernes en Italie du sud-est, avec référence spéciale à la Grotte de Porto Badisco et autres sites néolithiques et chalcolithiques dans la péninsule de Salento. On offre des interprétations alternatives centrées sur les variations dans le temps et l'espace de l'utilisation de cavernes pour différentes activités; une notion de complémentarité et de mutualité dans les relations de genre au Néolithique; et l'existence d'un degré de subjectivité mâle dans la construction symbolique de genre d'après les découvertes archéologiques de la grotte de Porto Badisco.

In diesem Beitrag wird versucht, die Bedeutung eines kontextuellen Ansatzes für die Interpretation vorgeschichtlicher Rituale zu demonstrieren. Dies geschieht anhand einer Kritik von Ruth White-houses jüngerer Arbeit Underground Religion. Cult and culture in prehistoric Italy (Untergrund Religion, Kult und Kultur im vorgeschichtlichen Italien) sowie durch eine Neuuntersuchung des räumlichen, materiellen, historischen und sozialen Kontextes der rituellen Benutzung von Höhlen in Südostitalien, unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Grotta di Porto Badisco und anderer neolithischer und frühkupferzeitlicher Fundplätze auf der Halbinsel von Salento. Alternative Interpretationen werden angeboten, die folgende Aspekte in den Brennpunkt rücken: in Zeit und Raum verschiedene Benutzungen der Höhlen für unterschiedliche Aktivitäten; eine Vorstellung von Komplementarität und Wechselseitigkeit in den neolithischen Beziehungen zwischen den Geschlechtern; und die Existenz eines Grades von ‘Männer-Ausrichtung’ des archäologischen Materials, das die symbolische Konstruktion von Geschlecht in der Grotta di Porto Badisco dokumentiert.

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of European Archaeology , Volume 2 , Issue 2 , Autumn 1994 , pp. 199 - 214
Copyright
Copyright © European Association of Archaeologists 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Albert, Edwin, 1982. Etude statistique des figurations de la Grotte de Porto Badisco. Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche 37: 217–222.Google Scholar
Allen, M., 1967. Male cults and secret initiations in Melanesia. Melbourne: Melbourne University Press.Google Scholar
Ardener, Shirley, 1987. A note on gender iconography: the vagina. In Caplan, P. (ed), The Cultural Construction of Sexuality: 113–142. London: Tavistock.Google Scholar
Azzi, C. M. and Gulisano, F., 1979. Florence radiocarbon dates IV. Radiocarbon 21: 353–357.Google Scholar
Barrett, John C., 1991. Towards an archaeology of ritual. In Garwood, Paul, Jennings, D., Skeates, R., and Toms, J. (eds), Sacred and Profane. Proceedings of a conference on archaeology, ritual and religion. Oxford, 1989: 1–9. Oxford: Oxford University Committee for Archaeology (Monograph 32).Google Scholar
Blanc, André C., 1958–61. Relazione sulle osservazioni e ricerche stratigrafiche eseguite nella Grotta Zinzulusa (Castro Marina, Lecce) e sull'esito di alcuni sopraluoghi nel Salento. 22 dicembre 1958 – 5 gennaio 1959. Quaternaria 5: 330–334.Google Scholar
Bloch, Maurice, 1986. From Blessing to Violence. History and ideology in the circumcision ritual of the Merina of Madagascar. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Borzatti von Löwenstern, Edoardo, 1965. Novaglie (Prov. di Lecce). Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche 20: 375–376.Google Scholar
Borzatti von Löwenstern, Edoardo, 1969. Industrie romanelliane eneolitiche nella grotta delle Prazziche (Novaglie-Lecce). Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche 24: 91–143.Google Scholar
Borzatti von Löwenstern, Edoardo and Guerri, E., 1964. Novaglie (Prov. di Lecce). Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche 19: 311–312.Google Scholar
Brindley, Marianne, 1984. The Symbolic Role of Women in Trobriand Gardening. Pretoria: University of South Africa.Google Scholar
Cardini, Luigi, 1958–61. Le faune dei nuovi orizzonti della Grotta Zinzulusa.Google Scholar
Cremonesi, Giuliano, 1972. Ruffano (Prov. di Lecce). Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche 27: 467.Google Scholar
Cremonesi, Giuliano, 1979. Il Neolitico e l'inizion dell'Età dei Metalli nel Salento. In Fonesca, C. D. (ed.), La Puglia dal Paleolitico al Tardoromano: 94–121. Milano: Electa.Google Scholar
Cremonesi, Giuliano, 1980. Notiziario - Prov. di Lecce. Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche 35: 406–407.Google Scholar
Cremonesi, Giuliano, 1981. Notiziario - Prov. di Lecce. Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche 36: 351–352.Google Scholar
Cremonesi, Giuliano, 1982. Torre Sabea (Gallipoli, Prov. di Lecce). Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche 37: 327–328.Google Scholar
Cremonesi, Giuliano, 1984. Notiziario - Prov. di Lecce. Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche 39: 386–387.Google Scholar
Cremonesi, Giuliano, 1985–6. Notiziario - Prov. di Lecce. Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche 40: 423–425.Google Scholar
Cremonesi, Giuliano, 1989. Il neolitico e la prima età dei metalli. In: Moscati, S. (ed.), Salento porta d'Italia. Atti del Convegno Internazionale. Lecce 27–30 novembre 1986: 33–45. Lecce: Congedo.Google Scholar
Cremonesi, Giuliano, Guilaine, Jean, Barbaza, Michel, Coularou, Jacques, Fonto, Orsolina, Grifoni, Renata, and Vaquer, Jean, 1987. L'habitat de Torre Sabea (Gallipoli, Puglia) dans le cadre du Néolithique ancien de l'Italie du sud-est. In Guilaine, J., Courtin, J., Roudil, J.-L. and Vernet, J.-L. (eds), Premières communautés paysannes en Méditerranée occidentale. Colloque International du C.N.R.S., Montpellier, 1983: 377–385. Paris: C.N.R.S.Google Scholar
Cucchiari, Salvatore, 1981. The gender revolution and the transition from bisexual horde to patrilocal band: the origins of gender hierarchy. In Ortner, S. B. and Whitehead, H. (eds), Sexual Meanings. The cultural construction of gender and sexuality: 31–79. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
De Lorentiis, D., 1968–9. Nuove stazioni preistoriche del Salento. Almanacco Salentino: 327–342.Google Scholar
Ecker, Gisela (ed.), 1985. Feminist Aesthetics. London: The Women's Press.Google Scholar
Gambassini, Paulo, 1980. Grotta del Cavallo (Nardò, Prov. di Lecce). Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche 35: 372.Google Scholar
Gillison, Gillian, 1980. Images of nature in Gimi thought. In MacCormack, Carol P. and Strathern, Marilyn (eds), Nature, Culture and Gender: 143–173. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Graziosi, Paulo, 1970. Grotta di Porto Badisco (Prov. di Lecce). Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche 25: 430–431.Google Scholar
Graziosi, Paolo, 1973. L'arte preistoriche in Italia. Firenze: Sansoni.Google Scholar
Graziosi, Paolo, 1980. Le pitture peistoriche della grotta di Porto Badisco. Firenze: Istituto Italiano di Preistoria e Protostoria.Google Scholar
Graziosi, Paolo, Cremonesi, Giuliano, Guerri, M., and Vigliardi, A., 1981. Porto Badisco (Otranto, Prov. di Lecce). Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche 36: 315–316.Google Scholar
Guerri, M., 1984. Porto Badisco (Otranto, Prov. di Lecce). Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche 39: 349–351.Google Scholar
Guerri, M., 1987–8. Notizie (Prov. di Lecce). Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche 41: 385, 420–421.Google Scholar
Guerri, M., 1989–90. Porto Badisco (Otranto, Prov. di Lecce). Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche 42: 364.Google Scholar
Guerri, M., 1992. Notizie (Prov. di Lecce). Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche 44: 246–8, 281–282.Google Scholar
Herbert, E. W., 1993. Iron, Gender, and Power. Rituals of transformation in African societies. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press.Google Scholar
Hodder, Ian, 1987. The contextual analysis of symbolic meanings. In: Hodder, I. (ed.), The Archaeology of Contextual Meanings: 1–10. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Ingravallo, Elettra, 1986. Il villaggio neolitico ‘Costante’ a Campi Latini (Galatone). Studi di Antichità 2: 5–12.Google Scholar
Langness, L. L., 1977. Ritual, power and male dominance in the New Guinea High-lands. In Fogelson, R. D. and Adams, R. N. (eds), The Anthropology of Power: 3–22. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Lo Porto, Felice G., 1971. L'attività archeologica in Puglia. In Atti del decimo Convegno di Studi sulla Magna Grecia, Taranto 4–11 ottobre 1970: 523–535. Napoli.Google Scholar
Lo Porto, Felice G., 1972. La tomba neolitica con idolo in pietra di Arnesano (Lecce). Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche 27: 357–372.Google Scholar
Lo Porto, Felice G., 1976. L'attività archeologica in Puglia. In Atti del quindicesimo Congresso di Studi sulla Magna Grecia, Taranto, 5–10 ottobre 1975: 635–645. Napoli.Google Scholar
MacCormack, Carol P. and Strathern, Marilyn, (eds) 1980. Nature, Culture and Gender. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Malone, Caroline, 1993. Book review. Ruth D. Whitehouse. Underground Religion: cult and culture in prehistoric Italy. Antiquity 67: 686–687.Google Scholar
Milliken, Sarah, 1991. Aspects of lithic assemblage variability in the late Palaeolithic of south-east Italy. , University of Oxford.Google Scholar
Milliken, Sarah and Skeates, Robin, 1989. The Alimini survey: the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition in the Salento peninsula. Institute of Archaeology Bulletin 26: 77–98.Google Scholar
Moore, Henrietta L., 1988. Feminism and Anthropology. Oxford: Polity Press.Google Scholar
Palma di Cesnola, Arturo, 1963. Santa Caterina (Nardò, Prov. di Lecce). Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche 18: 314.Google Scholar
Palma di Cesnola, Arturo, 1964. Seconda campagna di scavi nella Grotta del Cavallo presso Santa Caterina (Lecce). Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche 19: 23–39.Google Scholar
Palma di Cesnola, Arturo, 1978. Grotta del Cavallo (Nardò). Prov. di Lecce). Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche 33: 417.Google Scholar
Palma di Cesnola, Arturo and Minellono, Freancesca, 1961. Gli scavi nella Grotta del Fico presso S. Maria al Bagno (Lecce). Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche 16: 57–93.Google Scholar
Palma di Cesnola, Arturo and Borzatti von Löwenstern, Edoardo, 1962. Provincia di Lecce. Marina di Novaglie e Ciolo (Comune di Corsano). Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche 17: 287–288.Google Scholar
Piccino, Antonio and Piccino, F., 1978. Otranto. Laghi Alimini Stazioni preistoriche. Ricerche e Studi 11: 122–132.Google Scholar
Piccino, Antonio, 1990. Tracce di insediamenti preistoriche in Contrada Falconiera (Supersano). Studi di Antichità 6: 35–57.Google Scholar
Poole, F. J. P., 1981. Transforming ‘natural’ woman: female ritual leaders and gender ideology among Bimin-Kuskusmin. In In: Ortner, S. B. and Whitehead, H. (eds), Sexual Meanings. The cultural construction of gender and sexuality: 116–165. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Radmilli, Antonio Mario, 1966. Grotta di Parabita (prov. di Lecce). Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche 21: 421.Google Scholar
Radmilli, Antonio Mario, 1969. Parabita (Prov. di Lecce). Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche 24: 359.Google Scholar
Renfrew, A. Colin and Bahn, Paul, 1991. Archaeology. Theories, method and practice. London: Thames and Hudson.Google Scholar
Revedin, A. 1985–6. Porto Badisco (Otranto, Prov. di Lecce). Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche 40: 425–426.Google Scholar
Robb, John, 1992. Gender ideology and social inequality in prehistoric Italy. Unpublished paper presented at the symposiumon ‘Social dynamics of the prehistoric central Mediterranean’, Society for American Archaeology meeting, Pittsburgh, April 9–12 1992.Google Scholar
Skeates, Robin, 1991a. Caves, cult and children in Neolithic Abruzzo, central Italy. In Garwood, Paul, Jennings, David, Skeates, Robin, and Toms, Judith (eds), Sacred and Profane. Proceedings of a conference on archaeology, ritual and religion. Oxford, 1989: 122–134. Oxford: Oxford University Committee for Archaeology (Monograph 32).Google Scholar
Skeates, Robin, 1991b. Triton's trumpet: a Neolithic symbol in Italy. Oxford Journal of Archaeology 10: 17–31.Google Scholar
Skeates, Robin, in press. The human uses of caves in east-central Italy during the Mesolithic, Neolithic and Copper Age. In Bonsall, Clive and Smith, Christopher (eds), The Human Use of Caves.Google Scholar
Stasi, P. E., 1905. Stazione neolitica nella Grotta della Zinzolosa (Terra d'Otranto). Bulletin di Paletnologia Italiana 31: 78–79.Google Scholar
Whitehouse, Ruth D., 1972. Rock-cut tombs of the central Mediterranean. Antiquity 46: 275–281.Google Scholar
Whitehouse, Ruth D., 1992. Underground Religion. Cult and culture in prehistoric Italy. London: Accordia Research Centre, University of London.Google Scholar