A sense of materials and sensory perception in concepts of materiality

Abstract

Objects are a key aspect of archaeological evidence and theories about them should contribute to interdisciplinary debates on materiality and material culture. Despite the primacy of this evidence there is considerable scope for further debate about the role of materials in concepts of materiality and the social construction of sensory perception. This is as true for a past society as it is for our own but the two world views may be ill-matched and archaeology can miss important sensory issues in the societies it studies. The way in which archaeology deals with objects is deconstructed to offer some criticism of present practice, and some ideas for new ways of thinking about the role of sensory perception in constructing concepts of materiality for past societies by a focus on attention. Further exploration of the role of the senses in the modern craft of finds analysis is advocated, in order to elucidate the passing on of such skills and the way in which material experiences colour modern perceptions and interpretations.