A Material Culture

Consumption and Materiality on the Coast of Precolonial East Africa

Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science, Archaeology, History
Cover of the book A Material Culture by Stephanie Wynne-Jones, OUP Oxford
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Stephanie Wynne-Jones ISBN: 9780191077173
Publisher: OUP Oxford Publication: May 12, 2016
Imprint: OUP Oxford Language: English
Author: Stephanie Wynne-Jones
ISBN: 9780191077173
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Publication: May 12, 2016
Imprint: OUP Oxford
Language: English

A Material Culture focuses on objects in Swahili society through the elaboration of an approach that sees people and things as caught up in webs of mutual interaction. It therefore provides both a new theoretical intervention in some of the key themes in material culture studies, including the agency of objects and the ways they were linked to social identities, through the development of the notion of a biography of practice. These theoretical discussions are explored through the archaeology of the Swahili, on the Indian Ocean coast of eastern Africa. This coast was home to a series of settlements from the seventh century onwards; some grew to become coral-built 'stonetowns'. These precolonial towns, such as Kilwa Kisiwani, Mombasa, and Gede, represent a unique urban tradition. They were deeply involved in maritime trade, carried out by a diverse Islamic population. This book suggests that the Swahili are a highly-significant case study for exploration of the relationship between objects and people in the past, as the society was constituted and defined through a particular material setting. Further, it is suggested that this relationship was subtly different than in other areas, and particularly from western models that dominate prevailing analysis. The case is made for an alternative form of materiality, perhaps common to the wider Indian Ocean world, with an emphasis on redistribution and circulation rather than on the accumulation of wealth. The reader will therefore gain familiarity with a little-known and fascinating culture, as well as appreciating the ways that non-western examples can add to our theoretical models.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

A Material Culture focuses on objects in Swahili society through the elaboration of an approach that sees people and things as caught up in webs of mutual interaction. It therefore provides both a new theoretical intervention in some of the key themes in material culture studies, including the agency of objects and the ways they were linked to social identities, through the development of the notion of a biography of practice. These theoretical discussions are explored through the archaeology of the Swahili, on the Indian Ocean coast of eastern Africa. This coast was home to a series of settlements from the seventh century onwards; some grew to become coral-built 'stonetowns'. These precolonial towns, such as Kilwa Kisiwani, Mombasa, and Gede, represent a unique urban tradition. They were deeply involved in maritime trade, carried out by a diverse Islamic population. This book suggests that the Swahili are a highly-significant case study for exploration of the relationship between objects and people in the past, as the society was constituted and defined through a particular material setting. Further, it is suggested that this relationship was subtly different than in other areas, and particularly from western models that dominate prevailing analysis. The case is made for an alternative form of materiality, perhaps common to the wider Indian Ocean world, with an emphasis on redistribution and circulation rather than on the accumulation of wealth. The reader will therefore gain familiarity with a little-known and fascinating culture, as well as appreciating the ways that non-western examples can add to our theoretical models.

More books from OUP Oxford

Cover of the book The Oxford Book of Health Foods by Stephanie Wynne-Jones
Cover of the book Constitutional Referendums by Stephanie Wynne-Jones
Cover of the book Sharing the Costs and Benefits of Energy and Resource Activity by Stephanie Wynne-Jones
Cover of the book Women and the Vote by Stephanie Wynne-Jones
Cover of the book The Greeks by Stephanie Wynne-Jones
Cover of the book The International Court of Justice and the Judicial Function by Stephanie Wynne-Jones
Cover of the book Enchantment and Creed in the Hymns of Ambrose of Milan by Stephanie Wynne-Jones
Cover of the book The Epistemic Life of Groups by Stephanie Wynne-Jones
Cover of the book Slang: A Very Short Introduction by Stephanie Wynne-Jones
Cover of the book The Oxford Handbook of the American Congress by Stephanie Wynne-Jones
Cover of the book The Iconography of Early Anglo-Saxon Coinage by Stephanie Wynne-Jones
Cover of the book The Logic of Information by Stephanie Wynne-Jones
Cover of the book Punishment and Freedom by Stephanie Wynne-Jones
Cover of the book Engineering: A Very Short Introduction by Stephanie Wynne-Jones
Cover of the book Acids and Bases by Stephanie Wynne-Jones
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy