Abstract
The aim of the article is to question essentialist con- structions of archaeological cultures with the help of Homi K. Bhabha’s concept of hybridity. Using house urns found in central and northern Europe as a case study, Bhabha’s hybridity concept is presented and discussed as an alternative to traditional archaeolog- ical concepts of cultural interpretation. Hybridity, which is also a key concept in postcolonial theory, offers an alternative key to the interpretation of cul- ture and suggests that no culture should be seen as static and homogeneous. The common understanding of house urns is therefore informed and challenged by the concept of hybridity, its alternative construction of culture and alternative ways to understand arte- facts. Inspired by the concept of hybridity, I argue that house urns deserve much broader interpretations than as mere manifestations of cultural difference or cultural belonging.
Highlights
In this article I propose that archaeology would benefit from a discussion that problematizes the categories in which we order culture as well as material culture in prehistory
By using Bronze Age house urns as a case study, I will try to show how we can broaden our interpretation of archaeological culture(s) with the help of the concept of hybridity
When house urns are mentioned in archaeological literature, they are often accompanied by questions such as, ‘Are the Scandinavian house urns a result of the hut urns from the Italian peninsula or is the “mother urn” to be found on the island of Gotland?’ The cultural belonging of house urns is a key question
Summary
The aim of the article is to question essentialist constructions of archaeological cultures with the help of Homi K. Using house urns found in central and northern Europe as a case study, Bhabha’s hybridity concept is presented and discussed as an alternative to traditional archaeological concepts of cultural interpretation. Hybridity, which is a key concept in postcolonial theory, offers an alternative key to the interpretation of culture and suggests that no culture should be seen as static and homogeneous. The common understanding of house urns is informed and challenged by the concept of hybridity, its alternative construction of culture and alternative ways to understand artefacts. Inspired by the concept of hybridity, I argue that house urns deserve much broader interpretations than as mere manifestations of cultural difference or cultural belonging
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