The gaming stones of Arediou-Vouppes : exploring the past and creating identity through material remains

This dissertation forms a study on material culture from the background of social archaeology, which will focus on the Cypriot site of Arediou-Vouppes, a Late Bronze Age production settlement at the foothills of the Troodos Massif. Primary attention will be given to the gaming stones discovered on the site during several seasons of survey and excavation, carried out under the direction of Dr. Louise Steel. I hope to demonstrate how such an aspect of material culture can be used to assist in an understanding of a site’s social make up and identity. The gaming stones context and possible function in Arediou will be examined and compared to the use of gaming stones in other Bronze Age Cypriot sites. My aim is to people the past and in so doing challenge the predominantly anonymous narratives of the discipline of archaeology. Ultimately my intention is to remove the so-called ‘faceless blobs’ of prehistory (Tringham 1991: 94), and replace them with socially active human beings, in so doing giving rightful consideration to the highly complex social dimensions of the site and its material remains.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

ma

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

masters

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Wales Trinity Saint David

Year dc:date.issued

2008

Author dc:creator

• Allen, Loveday Harriet.

• CC Archaeoleg
• DF Groeg

Dc Identifier Grantnumber

UWTSD

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.uwtsd.ac.uk:471