Material Culture Research Articles

An Early Ofan for Hanukkah, the Temple Menorah, and the Visual Culture of Late Antique Synagogues

Abstract This contribution focuses on an anonymous poem for Hanukkah and its wealth of visual imagery as a window on the interrelationship between liturgical texts and the art of the ancient synagogue. It sets this poem in conversation with the image of the menorah in synagogues excavated in the Land of Israel, as both reflect Jewish liturgical creativity during late antiquity, between the fourth and seventh or eighth centuries. It explores how the visual culture of Jewish late antiquity provided an early medieval payyetan (synagogue poet) with a rich library of objects, symbols, and metaphors for a composition celebrating the Festival of Lights; the poetic synthesis, in turn, yields a richly resonant symbolic matrix of meaning. Attention to light sources (lamps) and the symbolism of light more generally reveals how the material and visual culture of antiquity – particularly the menorah – suffused the piyyut, and how the piyyut could have colored perceptions of familiar experiences and objects. After examining lamps (and particularly menorahs) from a variety of perspectives, we will return to the poem to consider more closely the role that illumination plays in the short, festive lyric.

Identifi cation of Adhesives for Repairing Ancient Ceramics: The Case of the Neolithic and Chalcolithic of Far Northeast Europe

This study focuses on the composition of the adhesives used to repair clay vessels, and on the technique of their preparation in the Late Neolithic and Chalcolithic (late 4th to early 3rd millennia BC) sites of Far Northeast Europe (the Republic of Komi and the Nenets Autonomous Okrug). Remains of adhesives were detected on 70 of 171 repaired pots. To date, five samples of ceramics from dwellings of the Chuzhyael culture have been analyzed. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed no markers of coniferous trees or bitumen; but did reveal markers of birch, suggesting that fractures and cracks on broken pots were plastered with birch tar. The composition of organic compounds in samples indicates the use of two vessels in the technological process: in one of them, birch bark was subjected to pyrolysis, while the other was a receptacle for tar. This comparatively complex technology reveals one more specialization in the domestic manufacture of the taiga hunter-gatherers, including the use of special furnaces. Analytic procedures employed by us open up new prospects for the study of the material culture of Far Northeast Europe, extend our knowledge of domestic manufacture, and offer new material for AMS dating.

Sir William Capell and A Royal Chain: The Afterlives (and Death) of King Edward V

AbstractIt is generally assumed that the memory of Edward V, king of England, was an important part of the politics and culture of the century following his disappearance and probable murder in 1483. This article considers the material culture associated with Edward and contributes to an understanding of his fate and how it was viewed in the reigns of Richard III, Henry VII, and beyond. In stark contrast to the experience of other elite figures in the period, Edward's memory was not promoted and supported through any of the potential lieux de mémoire which might have been preserved, created, or adapted for the purpose. The decades to the middle of the sixteenth century saw little if anything by way of an emerging tradition of visual presentations of the king. There was no indication of the emergence of physical locations in which his memory might be cultivated, and textual references remain sparse. A previously overlooked reference to Edward's chain, in the possession of the Capell family early in the sixteenth century, illustrates the remarkably limited interest in Edward as a personality and in his fate in the years after his disappearance. And while there is a clear possibility that the chain came to the Capell family in some neutral way, as the king's property was distributed in the aftermath of Edward's disappearance, there is also the possibility that it came as a result of his murder – and through the Capells’ connection with the alleged murderer, Sir James Tyrell.

Relaying Cinema in Midcentury Iran: Material Cultures in Transit by Kaveh Askari (review)

Relaying Cinema in Midcentury Iran: Material Cultures in Transit by Kaveh Askari (review)

Experiencing the divine? Museum presentations of religion in Roman Britain

Religious practice in the Roman world involved diverse rituals and knowledge. Scholarly studies of ancient religion increasingly emphasise the experiential aspects of these practices, highlighting multisensory and embodied approaches to material culture and the dynamic construction of religious experiences and identities. In contrast, museum displays typically frame religious material culture around its iconographic or epigraphic significance. The author analyses 23 UK museum displays to assess how religion in Roman Britain is presented and discusses how museums might use research on ‘lived ancient religion’ to offer more varied and engaging narratives of religious practices that challenge visitors’ perceptions of the period.

The effect of packaging material and adjunct culture on the biogenic amine content, microbiological and textural properties of Dutch-type cheese

The aim of the study was to assess the effects of the packaging materials applied (shrink foil, copolymer coating and food wax) in combination with Lacticaseibacillus casei CCDM 198 microbial strain on biochemical, microbiological and textural properties of Dutch-type cheese during ripening (at 12 ± 1 °C for 168 days). A multivariate principal component analysis method based on a correlation matrix was employed to evaluate the relationships between basic chemical properties, textural and microbiological parameters, biogenic amine and free amino acid contents in relation to the packaging material used and the length of the ripening time. The use of different packaging materials did not have a significant effect on the salt content, fat content, and pH values, whereas significant differences were observed for dry matter content and textural properties development. The presence of Lacticaseibacillus casei CCDM 198 strain accelerated proteolysis in all samples. Shrink foil and food wax had similar effects on the development of biogenic amine content during ripening, while considerable differences were observed for the samples wrapped in copolymer coating. Copolymer coating in combination with Lacticaseibacillus casei CCDM 198 strain was able to reduce biogenic amine content by up to 28% after 168 days.

Archaeology of Historic Football Grounds: A Case Study of the 19 May Stadium in Turkey

In Turkey, being young and healthy was idealized as the politics of the state that had successfully ruptured the link with the Ottoman Empire, thereby making sport a significant component of culture and modern life in Turkey. One of the most important football grounds was the 19 May Stadium, which was the first football ground in Turkey and reflected the political and sports culture of the time. Yet, 19 May Stadium is not perceived to be part of the country’s heritage equation; it has meaning for individuals of all ages, and it contributes significantly to the overall quality of life. Accordingly, this study makes an archaeological examination of 19 May Stadium as a form of material culture. It examines the evolving field of community archaeology projects and how they contribute to the importance of place, memory, and meaning in the historical context of the site, thereby making them more visible on the historical environment agenda in Turkey.

THE ATTRACTIONS OF GUAR KEPAH ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE, PENANG, MALAYSIA AS AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL HERITAGE TOURISM SITE

The Guar Kepah archaeological site in Penang, Malaysia, has been the focus of archaeological re search since 1860, revealing important insights into the prehistoric maritime community that inhabited the area approximately 5,000 years ago. Excavations at the site have revealed human skeletons, teeth, stone tools, and pottery, providing evidence of the community's burial traditions and material culture. The primary data collected from these excavations has facilitated the development of the site's tourism sector, with plans underway to establish the Guar Kepah Archaeological Center (GKAC). This study emphasises the importance of utilising primary data to create compelling narratives that contribute to the development of archaeological heritage tour packages. The Guar Kepah site serves as a case study for the development of archaeotourism, highlighting the need for a balance between site preservation and providing authentic experience to cultural tourists. The findings from this site have the potential to shed light on human relations with aquatic habitats, the importance of the mari ne environment in human evolution and ecology, island colonisation, and the establishment of maritime trade networks. The development of the Guar Kepah site as an archaeological heritage tourism location in northern Peninsular Malaysia demonstrates the commitment of the government and stakeholders to promoting sustainable heritage tourism in the region.

WEAVING THE HARMONY OF CULTURES INTO THE INFINITE TAPESTRY OF MATHEMATICS

This study explores Ethnomathematics as an innovative and transformative approach to teaching mathematics, highlighting its potential to promote inclusive and culturally relevant education. Ethnomathematics challenges the traditional view of mathematics as a neutral and universal science, proposing it as a cultural construct that reflects the practices, values, and needs of different social groups throughout history. By integrating students’ cultural realities into the school curriculum, this approach not only enriches mathematics education, making it more accessible and meaningful, but also serves as a catalyst for social inclusion and educational equity. Ethnomathematics promotes a dialogue between formal academic knowledge and diverse cultural practices, suggesting that mathematics education should be deeply contextualized and connected to students’ everyday experiences. This transforms mathematics education into something more relevant and engaging, while valuing and acknowledging the cultural traditions that shape students’ identities. This integration is seen as a form of social justice, as it challenges the hegemony of Western mathematical knowledge and values ​​the contributions of other cultures. To understand how Ethnomathematics can be effectively incorporated into the school curriculum, the study uses a rigorous bibliographical analysis, based on works by renowned authors such as Ubiratan D'Ambrósio, Milton Rosa, and Daniel Clark Orey. This detailed analysis allowed us to identify the main theoretical and practical contributions of Ethnomathematics, as well as highlight pedagogical strategies that value students' cultural traditions and adapt teaching materials for a more inclusive mathematics education. The study points to Ethnomathematics as a promising path for an education that respects and values ​​cultural diversity, promoting the development of critical and socially engaged citizens. This approach contributes to the construction of a more just and egalitarian society, where all forms of mathematical knowledge are recognized and celebrated.

The Relationship of the Urartian Material Culture with the Modern Armenian Artworks

From the early times of human history, the production of a culture shaped the evolution of human beings and their survival strategies. Culture is characteristic of everyday life shared by people in one place or time. It is also the development and shaping of the mind through all kinds of activities. The production of tools, the process of materials, the creation of artifacts, and the emergence of arts and crafts were the signs of the human mind to cope with nature and death. The creation of these early tools affected the development of culture, lifestyles, environment, and technology. The expression of the earliest tools is marked by their diversity. Throughout history in different societies, cultures and the transmission of cultural findings with written, visual and phonic items determined the paths of human creativity. In this article, an example of this route created in a specific time and space by a specific society i.e. the route from Urartian visual language to modern Armenian visual culture will be investigated.

Royal burials and chariots from Sinauli (Uttar Pradesh, India): Radiocarbon dating and isotopic analysis based inferences

Abstract For the first time in the Indian subcontinent, a series of royal burials with chariots have been recovered from the Chalcolithic period at the archaeological site Sinauli (29°8′28″N; 77°13′1″E), Baghpat district, western Uttar Pradesh, India. Eight burials were excavated from the site; among them a royal burial with copper decorated legged coffin (lid with a series of anthropomorphic figures) and headgear has also been recovered. Among these remarkable discoveries, three full-sized chariots made of wood and copper, and a sword with a wooden hilt, made this site unique at historical ground. These cultural findings signify that the ancients from this place were involved in warfare. All these recovered exclusive antiquities also proved the sophistication and the high degree of craftsmanship of the artisans. According to the 14C radiocarbon dating and recovered material culture, the site date back to 4000 yr BP (∼2000 BCE) and is thought to belong to Ochre-Coloured Pottery (OCP)/Copper Hoard culture. This culture was believed to develop in the Ganga-Yamuna Doab and was contemporary to the late phase of the Indus civilization. Altogether, the findings indicate that the time period of this culture is plausibly contemporary to Late Indus, Mesopotamian and Greece civilizations.

ABOUT THE PROTOTYPOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THE EVOLUTION OF THE DWELLING

Throughout human history, housing has been crucial for human existence, serving as shelter, a symbol of social status, economic prosperity, and cultural identity. Studying archaeological data from different times and peoples has enabled the analysis of the main stages of the development of one of the fundamental values of human material culture - housing. Housing stands as concrete evidence supporting hypotheses and scientific discoveries, offering insights into the life, culture, and traditions of specific epochs. Its extensive evolutionary journey has been shaped significantly by advancements aimed at optimizing living conditions, influenced by societal norms, domestic practices, and scientific advancements. This ongoing evolution has defined housing's architectural characteristics, including differentiation of family, household, functional planning, work, and communal spaces, alongside spatial and expressive architectural elements. It encompasses the development of individual housing units within broader building and settlement frameworks, encompassing diverse housing types and their typological classifications, as well as applying construction and technical methods. This study examines the distinctive typological groups of housing, characterized by their structural underpinnings. These groups are delineated by key factors influencing the inception of formative architectural techniques, such as the early development of functional-planning solutions rooted in familial and regional contexts, and cultural traditions. Additionally, the article explores the architectural evolution of housing, analyzing how prototype components have shaped the phased development of residential functional-planning structures over time. This research contributes to a broader series of investigations into typological evolution of housing, aiming to deepen our understanding of its transformative journey across different historical periods.

Gaztronomy: cuisine and modernity in 1930s Lisbon

ABSTRACT The progressive electrification of kitchens that still place gas cookers center stage raises important questions about the relationship between energy, technology, and culinary practices that emphasize the relevance of more deeply understanding past transitions. This research explores material culture and culinary technology, examining the link between culinary practices and the shift to gas usage in Lisbon households during the 1930s. Seeking to understand this Gaztronomy, we analyzed the programs and recipes from the cooking courses sponsored by the main Lisbon gas utility company during the period 1931–1939, considering aspects such as the stages in the energy transition, diffusion of gas stoves and the characteristics of Portuguese culinary literature. The nearly four hundred recipes presented in the cooking lessons featured in these materials highlight the association between the cosmopolitan nature of the proposed selection and the modernity of gas cooking, leading to an attempt to understand the role of this “modern energy” as an inducer of new culinary practices in the domestic and family sphere. Culinary expertise proved to be an appealing and powerful tool for overcoming resistance to change and consumer anxieties over adopting a new fuel, indeed, as observed by the main Lisbon supplier at that time.

The effects of climate and population on human land use patterns in Europe from 22ka to 9ka ago

Between 22ka and 9ka ago, after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and during the transition to the Holocene, mobile hunter-gatherer populations, differentiated by their stone tool assemblages, periodically dispersed and contracted across Europe. It is well understood that climate played an important role in human distributions and population sizes during the post-LGM Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene, but the question remains as to whether increasing population sizes drove early human dispersal. Here, using a spatiotemporal species distribution model to infer the fundamental and potential human climatic niche space of Late Upper Paleolithic, Final Paleolithic and Early Mesolithic Europe, and hypotheses derived from the Ideal Distribution Model, we test i) how changes in climate affected the size and extent of the projected potential human niche space, ii) for effects of changes in size of projected potential niche on regional human population sizes, iii) whether increasing human population sizes drove human dispersal into less climatically suitable habitats, and iv) whether populations associated with different high-order material culture groupings (macro-level technocomplexes) occupied different climatic spaces. We find that changes in climate correlate strongly with the size and extent of the projected potential human niche space, that increases in the projected human niche space correlate with increases in human population, that human population size is just beginning to become large enough to influence land use and dispersal patterns at the Pleistocene-Holocene transition, and that archaeological technocultural entities overlap in their fundamental climatic niche space. This overlap implies that changing tools forms cannot readily been seen as reflecting adaptations to changing climates.

Conceptual meanings in middle neolithic red-painted pottery from Central Greece: A case study

Human expression uses conceptual metaphors in various forms and modalities, one of which is material culture. Although conceptual or cognitive metaphors have been recognized in cognitive linguistics, abstractions on nature and structure can function as a tool for metaphorical reconstructions through and/or from archaeological evidence that derives from early communities. This paper initiates a discussion of the figurative meanings in Middle Neolithic red-painted pottery from Central Greece using a case study, the Middle Neolithic red-painted pottery from Halai. Even though a particular context is undoubtedly the foundational factor of archaeological interpretation, human cognition emerges from universal processes that are the same in all humans. Pottery, a material culture product, can express metaphorical meanings of knowledge and bodily experience, while the repetition of characteristic patterns in a particular region can demonstrate social identities and stylistic boundaries.

Homebody: Art Therapy and the Art of Possessions

This concept paper is proposing the inclusion of the home studio as an art making location for art therapy trainees who assemble personal belongings, within the context of their domestic lives. A collection of belongings can become an installation which brings together associations to identities in juxtaposition. The material culture of art therapy trainees, the objects which they live by, is a new contribution to art therapy pedagogy, as it designates the art of personal collections as a life archive (or accumulation) that is close at hand and already available. This collection of household artefacts teaches students how to honour the object collections of their clients, who are experts with lived experience of how to arrange legacies of gathering, consumption, inheritance, and gifted items. What follows is a proposal describing how home arrangements can signify personal associations to meaning and to an ethos of respecting what becomes us in terms of what we already own. The home studio is a key concept in this exploration of material culture as it relates to art therapy. This is a recognition of how a curation of possessions (where we place our belongings) is noteworthy as an act of agency and reflective practice within art therapy training and within the lives of those who participate in art therapy services. Recognising the significance of one’s lived-with objects, as navigation points of identity, values the culture of their curator who identifies the meaning of what they own as material assets.

THE ETHNOCULTURAL ASPECT IN THE ARTICLES OF THE NEWSPAPER “ALBANIA”

The state of the Albanians in the end of the XIX century became even more worse from the Otoman Empire which not only kept their territories under their rule but also stand a more rigorous rule by not letting anything national. This made that a good Albanian elite to start their attempts to raise national consciousness outside of Albanian territories, such case was the publishing of the newspaper “Albania” from Faik Konica in Brussels. In this capital work from Konica, whole chapters are dedicated to spiritual culture of Albanians, of material culture and the way of living. Konica talked about “Besa”, the hospitality, the bravery feud of the Albanians, few traditional crafts, the way of eating, traditional clothes and very other everyday issue of Albanians which he considered national treasure. The purpose of this research was to highlight Konicas’s attempts as a connoisseur to the core of Albanian character by analyzing every virtue of them by believing that the nationality should be protected not only in the battlefields, but also by defending and appreciating more and more the deep meaning of the national traditions because their preservation is part of saving the national identity.

Exploring the taken-for-granted relationship between children’s culture and the cultural heritage of terrorism

This article explores the relationship between children’s visual and material cultures and the official cultural heritage of terrorism. Drawings and cuddly toys have become a significant, yet overlooked, part of ‘difficult’ heritage of impactful violent events. The focus is on two museum collections dedicated to the 2017 terrorist attack in Stockholm – the active contributions of young people (8–25 years old) to the collections, and their presences constituted by artefacts. Examining both provides insights into the politics of cultural heritage and how heritage can be produced and presented.

Comparative perspective on the Marrakesh Treaty and China’s copyright law: Differences and similarities

With the rapid development of globalization and informatization, the role of copyright law in balancing the rights and interests of creators and the public interest is becoming increasingly prominent. This article delves into the similarities and differences between the Marrakesh Treaty and China’s copyright law, particularly in terms of protecting the rights and interests of people with reading disabilities. The Marrakesh Treaty, as an important achievement of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), provides convenience for people with reading disabilities worldwide to access published works through limited copyright law modifications and exceptions. As a signatory of this treaty, China’s revision and implementation of its copyright law have a significant impact on the international intellectual property protection system. This article provides an overview of the background, core concepts, and limitations of the Marrakesh Treaty, and introduces the basic situation of China’s copyright law. By comparing the similarities and differences between the Marrakesh Treaty and China’s copyright law, this paper explores the provisions of both in protecting the rights and interests of people with reading disabilities, and proposes suggestions for improving China’s copyright law. These suggestions include clearly defining the scope of application of the treaty, expanding the definition of beneficiaries, adding cross-border transaction clauses for accessible works, reasonably avoiding technical protection measures, and strengthening the construction of implementation mechanisms and supervision systems. Although there are differences between the Marrakesh Treaty and China’s Copyright Law in protecting the rights and interests of people with reading disabilities, their common goal is to ensure that people with reading disabilities have equal access to cultural and educational materials through legal means, promote their social participation and cultural enjoyment. The revision process of China’s Copyright Law actively absorbs and transforms the provisions of the Marrakesh Treaty, demonstrating China’s efforts and determination in fulfilling international obligations, promoting social equity and inclusiveness.

Multimodality of the pedagogical phenomenon of personal developmental educational environment

Introduction. The work examines the personal development educational environment as a pedagogical phenomenon. The purpose of the study is to substantiate the multimodality property of the pedagogical phenomenon of a personal development educational environment and to determine the features of environmental design. The property of multimodality of the personal development educational environment is substantiated based on the relationship of the environment with the dialectics of personal-environmental relationships in education. Materials and Methods. The research is based on philosophical, cultural, sociological and other materials that affirm the environmental paradigm as relevant for self-developing complex systems. The personal development environment is considered as a unique process of student interaction in education, contributing to the formation of the individual’s personal experience. Research methods include methods of formal logic (analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, comparison and analogy, generalization and others); analysis of pedagogical concepts in the context of the system of guidelines (values) that determine pedagogical thinking. Results. With the development of personality, new ways of interacting with the environment are traced. Moreover, such methods are not directly determined by cause-and-effect relationships with it. The relevance of the developing educational environment and the individual at its various stages of development presupposes the procedural nature of the educational environment, its stages and internal heterogeneity, and a predisposition to transformation. These properties of the educational environment are embodied in its multimodality. Multimodality is a reflection of the dialectics of personality in education: various images and types of environment are determined by the nature of personal-environmental interactions and emerging relationships. Discussion and Conclusions. The design of a personal development environment is carried out through situations in which the components of the environment and the person interacting with it are presented. Personality development is accompanied by the generation of “filling environments.” “Filling environments” in their multiple manifestations are subject-conditioned, personality-generated areas of cognition and transformation of reality, which are the result of personal-environmental interaction. These areas are distinguished by their dynamism and ability to expand in knowledge and activity. The dynamics of personally determined “filling environments” are accompanied by the formation of the student’s personal properties, attitudes towards reality and himself.