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Ethnic Identity and the Archaeology of the aduentus Saxonum: A Modern Framework and its Problems book cover

1st Edition

Ethnic Identity and the Archaeology of the aduentus Saxonum A Modern Framework and its Problems

By James M. Harland Copyright 2021
314 Pages
by Routledge

314 Pages
by Routledge

314 Pages
by Routledge
Also available as eBook on:
For centuries, archaeologists have excavated the soils of Britain to uncover finds from the early medieval past. These finds have been used to reconstruct the alleged communities, migration patterns, and expressions of identity of coherent groups who can be regarded as ethnic 'Anglo-Saxons'. Even in the modern day, when social constructionism has been largely accepted by scholars, this paradigm... Read more
Acknowledgements, 1 Introduction, Historical Approaches to the aduentus Saxonum, A Note on Terminology, The Structure of the Book, A Note on Contemporary Political Resonances, , 2 Ethnicity and Archaeology, Ethnicity: General Conception and Theorisation, Ethnic Theorisation and Archaeology, Ethnicity in Anglo-Saxon Archaeology, The Freiburg School, 3 Empiricism and Metaphysics, Differential Ontology, Derridean Deconstruction, Deleuze, Guattari, and the Rhizome, Applying Differential Ontology, Earlier Applications of Differential Ontology to Archaeological Interpretation, Some Final Methodological Principles, Selecting and Approaching the Case Studies, 4 Deconstructing Anglo-Saxon Archaeology, Introduction, John Hines and Culture History, Catherine Hills: The Migration Debate, Sam Lucy: 'Deconstructing' Ethnicity? Howard Williams: Remembering 'Germans' and 'Ancestors'? James Gerrard: Ethnicities or 'Ideologies'? Toby Martin: The Cruciform Brooch and 'Anglian' Identity, Conclusion, 5 The Material Evidence Reconsidered, Critical Issues, A Summary of the Present Evidence Base and Problems with Its Use, 'Germanic' Artwork? The Saxon Relief Style and Salin's Style I, Searching for Ethnicity in 'Folk' Costume and Weapon Burials, Non-Empirical Uses of Data in Action, Conclusion, 6 Building an Alternative, The Case Studies, Wider Implications from the Case Studies, The End of Roman Rule in Britain and the Transformation of the Roman World, 'Re-use' of Roman Material, Conclusion, 7 New Approaches and Final Reflections, New Approaches to Communal Organisation, Avenues for Further Research, Appendix: Spong Hill Data, Bibliography, Index.

Biography

James M. Harland works on the history and archaeology of the late Roman Empire and its early medieval successor states. After receiving his PhD in History from the University of York, he took up a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Tübingen. He is currently a Research Fellow at the University of Bonn.

“James Harland’s excellent book makes a convincing and groundbreaking contribution [...] His methodology, approach, and conclusions should be a game-changer. The book is beautifully written and clearly argued, respectful of existing work yet clear in its irrefutable critical analysis. Convincing and important, it deserves to become a classic, stimulating further research for years to come.” --  Susan Oosthuizen, Professor of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, UK (Speculum, 2023)

 

“This book purses an unswerving argument, highly attentive to the epistemological detail [...] the principal critique is both compelling and invigorating [...] As DNA analysis gathers pace, the field will benefit from Harland’s exposure of the weaknesses in archaeological inferences of ethnicity in the material record or assumptions of its presence from the outset [...] there is an erudite and imaginative argument, which I expect will find a more receptive audience than Harland imagined.” -- Toby Martin, Departmental Lecturer in Archaeology, University of Oxford, UK (Medieval Archaeology, 2023)

 

“[The book] is a welcome addition to the more fulsome scholarship on ideas related to ethnicity and migration developed in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries [...] a devastating critique [...] his sustained analysis of the intellectual frameworks standing behind the interpretation of the period’s funerary archaeology, and his discussions of the ways in which contemporary thinkers outside of archaeology can help us develop new questions, make this an invaluable work. Archaeologists, historians and graduate students should read it.” -- Robin Fleming, Professor of History, Boston College, USA (Studies in Late Antiquity, 2024)

“This monograph is a timely discussion of the reasons why heavy reliance on ethnic interpretations of grave artefacts (which has closed out substantial discussion of other interpretative possibilities) remains problematic. In critiquing the tenacious reluctance of some scholars to abandon this longstanding paradigm, James Harland's analysis is both nuanced and balanced. The book’s prose is lucid and accessible, the argument is thoughtful and well supported with historical and archaeological evidence, and this monograph makes a most welcome addition to the field. -- Bonnie Effros, Professor of History, University of British Columbia, Canada

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