Space Matters: A Reflection on Archaeological Theory and Method for Interpreting the Materiality of Space

Baumanová, Monika

doi:10.24916/iansa.2016.2.6

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…The presence of materials therefore gives signi cance and context of archaeological interpretation. Baumanova (2016) notes that spatial considerations are paramount while contextualizing built environments in archaeological record. This trajectory is deeply rooted in archaeology as discipline.…”

Section: Findings and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Forgotten Women Artisans? New frontiers of Gendered Spaces in Gede City State in Coastal Kenya

Muthegethi

2023

Preprint

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This paper interrogates how economic exchanges created new frontiers for women artisans in Gede city, at the coastal region of Kenya as demonstrated in archaeological records. Gede City state experienced economic development from the 11th century through intensification of international trade, rapid urbanization and diversification of subsistence patterns. This led to the emergency of artisan classes. Men artisans were mostly engaged in metal working and boat building whereas women artisans engaged in ceramics manufacturing and beads making. Before 11th century, the Gede community engaged in these activities mainly for subsistence use. The intensification of international trade and rapid urbanization from the 11th Century however led to the commodification of ceramics, metal objects, cloth and beads between the Gede community and the people from the hinterland. The Gede community exchanged goods such as beads, metal objects, cloths and ceramics for ivory, animal skins and precious stones. They then traded these goods from the hinterland with foreign merchants thereby making Gede a mercantile City. These new opportunities were contested by different social identities and became new frontiers where gender identities were expressed. This paper aim is twofold: it examines how Gede gendered activities were contested through re-organization of the society’s social structures and how women activities were reflected in new structures from archaeological record. Data was collected through historical sources, archival materials and excavation on Gede Industrial Complex of Bead Making as Women Space. The central question that the paper addresses is: How did the reorganization of the Gede economy create new gendered spaces for women artisans in Gede state?

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Section: Findings and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Forgotten Women Artisans? New frontiers of Gendered Spaces in Gede City State in Coastal Kenya

Muthegethi

2023

Preprint

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“…For analysis purposes, this paper de nes a household as the smallest social unit with material remains that demonstrate routine and habitual activities (Rødland, 2021). To that end, households also function as units of production, processing, consumption, and disposal of resources (Baumanova, 2016). This section discusses data from three houses that I excavated at Gede archaeological site.…”

Section: Build Environment and Gendermentioning

confidence: 99%

Built Environments and Implication on Gender Identities in Gede Archaeological Site

Muthegethi

2022

Preprint

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For decades, the archaeological work of the Swahili Civilization has mainly concentrated on exploring city-state economic and political dynamics. This paper explores how gender roles were formed, maintained, negotiated, and re-negotiated through time and space in Gede City. Unlike other Swahili city-states, Gede was located around two miles away from the shores of the Indian Ocean. Nonetheless, the city was characterized by security walls, stone houses, mosques, and tombs typical of Swahili City states such as Kilwa. The study employed several data collection methods: archival research, a survey, a re-examination of collected materials, and excavation of the Gede archaeological site. Since the study aimed to examine gender roles across different social classes, three areas were excavated based on their spatial distribution. Thus, the areas were roughly categorized as belonging to elite, middle-class, and lower-class structures. These structures were located in the inner, second, and outer walls of Gede City, respectively. Key findings show that gender identities differed considerably along classes in Gede archaeological site. For instance, the women of the elites and middle class were active participants in Gede's international trade through the production and consumption of imported goods. This participation corresponded with the commercialization of Gede households, especially in elite' areas where they hosted international traders. On the other hand, in middle-class houses, women concentrated on running light industries to supply goods to the urban community. Thus, they were able to afford exotic goods like their elite counterparts. Lastly, the gender roles of the lower class entailed subsistence-gendered roles with little participation in Gede formal commerce. Interestingly, gender roles in Gede were dynamic in nature and response to cultural diffusion, the spread of Islam, the intensification of trade, the diversification of subsistence patterns, and urbanization. Therefore, these findings demonstrate the centrality of gender in the reconstruction of the social lives of the Swahili Civilization.

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“…Since the beginning of processual archaeology, material evidence obtained from archaeological excavations has had a vital role in the interpretation of material culture [49]. Because of their inherent spatial character, past activities based on spatial archaeological data become easier to understand.…”

Section: The Role Of Gis and Archaeology In Small Townsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Archaeological Sites in Small Towns—A Sustainability Assessment of Northumberland County

Vaz

2020

Sustainability

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Background: Land-use change, resulting from urban expansion, has led to the unprecedented importance of rethinking our interactions with the environment in general. The consequences of anthropogenic activity on natural land, as well as sustainable land use types, is a significant concern to the detriment of small towns. In this article, I assess the changes in the urban footprint morphology of Northumberland County while evaluating the consequences of urban fragmentation on archaeological sites. Northumberland has a total population of 85,598 divided into seven municipalities and the Alderville First Nation reserve. Northumberland County is a commuting distance of one hour from Toronto, one of North America’s most important economic hubs. It is of the highest importance to measure and understand the current characteristics of land-use change and its impacts on the sustainability of small towns and local communities. Methods: A total of archaeological sites are used to test the impacts of urbanization and land-use change throughout the perimeter of Northumberland county. Spatial analysis is conducted employing spatial autocorrelation techniques (global and local) to assess the existence of hotspots of archaeological sites and the potential endangerment of these sites due to urban pressure. A hexagonal topology is used to derive a regional understanding of impacted regions within the county, allowing the richness of archaeological heritage sites as well as the possible concerns of these spatial clusters to be examined. Results: It is shown that a significant number of archaeological sites are present in Northumberland county, with a clear indication of a hotspot around Rice Lake. Future urbanization as well as land-use fragmentation may have an impact on the sustainability of these archaeological sites. It is shown that hexagonal geometries may establish relevant spatial surfaces to compare urban and archaeological sites as criteria to understand the endangerment of archaeological sites. The availability of the Global Urban Footprint (GUF) creates a particularly rigorous framework for the detection of impact on archaeological sites. Conclusion: The findings suggest that archaeological sites in small towns can benefit from high-resolution urban land-use footprints to detect impacts on archaeological sites and the relations of land-use change and intrasite management. This is of utmost importance in times of significant anthropogenic change brought by increasing urban pressure on small and medium-sized towns.

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Space Matters: A Reflection on Archaeological Theory and Method for Interpreting the Materiality of Space

Cited by 7 publications

References 44 publications

Forgotten Women Artisans? New frontiers of Gendered Spaces in Gede City State in Coastal Kenya

Forgotten Women Artisans? New frontiers of Gendered Spaces in Gede City State in Coastal Kenya

Built Environments and Implication on Gender Identities in Gede Archaeological Site

Archaeological Sites in Small Towns—A Sustainability Assessment of Northumberland County

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