Ethnography and Archaeology

Este texto propõe revisitar a história da arqueologia no Amapá buscando ressaltar contribuições pouco conhecidas e refletindo sobre sua imagem de isolamento. Inspirada em provocações contemporâneas sobre o lugar que a Amazônia ocupa em narrativas fora da arqueologia, incito a observarmos o Amapá como centro de sua própria arqueologia. Esse movimento dialoga com perspectivas que expõem os vieses colonialistas da disciplina, chamando a atenção para a necessidade de deslocarmos o eixo conceitual da arqueologia rumo a teorias divergentes. Ainda que o pano de fundo deste texto seja a história e o papel social das pesquisas arqueológicas na região, meu esforço está em apontar para contextos e momentos dessa história que ajudaram a aproximar a arqueologia das pessoas no Amapá.

This paper discusses the history and characteristics of Philippine pre-Hispanic scripts, focusing on the Kapampangan Baybayin script. It argues that the Kapampangan Baybayin script was an indigenous writing system used by the Kapampangan people before the arrival of the Spanish. The paper also discusses the methods, materials, and techniques of writing in the Kapampangan Baybayin script.

The village of Makhel in the northeastern state of Manipur, India, is considered as the place of origin or a transit point during the migration of a few Naga communities. Colonial records, stone monuments, and oral stories collectively support the origin and migration narrative. However, a more systematic investigation of the archaeological remains has yet to be done in this area. In this paper, I present the results of an archaeological survey conducted in Makhel and surrounding areas, covering an area of approximately 36 km². The survey documented 313 stone monuments, comprising menhirs, fallen menhirs, slab graves, rectangle stone platforms, sacred stones, and a destroyed site. Mapping has revealed that they are concentrated in the habitation areas and the forest, particularly areas on the hilltop that are readily accessible, such as roadsides and footpaths. A detailed analysis of monuments shows the variability in size, indicating differential labour involvement during construction and choices of building monuments. The survey also revealed structural similarities of monuments in Makhel and other areas/villages in the Naga Hills, which will be useful for researchers engaging in the archaeological remains.

The Western conception of personhood, in which identity is fixed, indivisible, and bound within the human body, is only one ontological model in the realm of conceptual possibilities. Artefacts, tools, structures and burials from cultures which may consider non-humans, places and natural features as possessing aspects of personhood are pieces of the puzzle in analysing of a variety of world views which conceive persons as dividual, fractal, fluid, relational and hierarchical, and in which conceptual personhood may be shared between humans and non-humans. (Fowler 2004) In these world views, object agency may involve a transferable essence which is imbued with consciousness.

Multidisciplinary approaches from history, anthropology and ethnographic studies can help us to contextualize fragmented evidence to construct a more complete view of past worlds.

The tribal art of Central Western India including the Warli, Gond, Bhil, Pithora, Mandana, and others boasts a rich heritage of vibrant colors, intricate patterns, and traditional motifs, reflecting the unique cultural and artistic diversity of the region. This research explores the fusion of tradition and modernity by adapting tribal art into textile design using digital design software to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of textile design. The study also aims to highlight the potential for sustainable development and economic empowerment of tribal communities while preserving and promoting their indigenous art forms. By bridging the gap between tradition and modernity, this research demonstrates the feasibility of adapting tribal art for textile products using digital tools, leading to innovative and marketable designs by preserving the art forms and improving the overall well-being of tribal communities.

A Arqueologia pode traçar sua trajetória intelectual desde os séculos XV e XVI, no contexto do Antiquarismo e do Classicismo, passando pelo Iluminismo no século XVIII, para então emergir como disciplina científica no século XIX. Para alguns historiadores da ciência, a vocação inicial da Arqueologia, no século XIX, era a construção de uma história da origem e evolução humana no passado ou, em outras palavras, da pré-história da humanidade, tendo como base os vestígios materiais.Palavras-chave: Arqueologia, tradução, passado, presente, preservação.

Purpose. The period of the most intensive contacts of the ancient population of the Korean peninsula and the Japanese Islands (3rd – 7th centuries AD) is of special interest for study. The period witnessed a wide spread of the tradition of building burial mounds (kurgans). Due to the artifacts found in the kurgans, it becomes possible to study various aspects of the people’s social life, including cultural contacts. We aimed at studying territorial alliances based on the cultural and historical background, such as the spread of agriculture based on wet rice cultivation, bronze and iron production, the emergence of states. Results. The kurgan tradition on the Korean peninsula is associated with the era of the Three Kingdoms (3rd – 7th centuries AD). The tradition of erecting mounds started in Koguryo state in the 1st century BC, then from the 3rd century AD it continued in Baekje, Silla and Kaya, and disappeared in the middle of the 6th century AD because of adopting Buddhism. Common...

Purpose. The period of the most intensive contacts of the ancient population of the Korean peninsula and the Japanese Islands (3rd – 7th centuries AD) is of special interest for study. The period witnessed a wide spread of the tradition of building burial mounds (kurgans). Due to the artifacts found in the kurgans, it becomes possible to study various aspects of the people’s social life, including cultural contacts. We aimed at studying territorial alliances based on the cultural and historical background, such as the spread of agriculture based on wet rice cultivation, bronze and iron production, the emergence of states. Results. The kurgan tradition on the Korean peninsula is associated with the era of the Three Kingdoms (3rd – 7th centuries AD). The tradition of erecting mounds started in Koguryo state in the 1st century BC, then from the 3rd century AD it continued in Baekje, Silla and Kaya, and disappeared in the middle of the 6th century AD because of adopting Buddhism. Common...

Purpose. The work is devoted to functional, ceremonial and cultural-historical interpretation of the so-called kočidykcrutches often found at the sites belonging to various cultures of the steppe belt of Eurasia and popular during the Early Iron Age. The aim of our study is to describe different interpretations of this group of finds. We considered the accumulated historiographical experience and also tried to model experimentally the functional use of the artifacts analyzed. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the possibility of referring to these materials from the point of view of the hypothesis of multiculturalism. We discuss a number of variants how to reconstruct the functional use of this category of finds. In particular, the crutches considered could have been used as suspensions and as belt fasteners. Results. We noticed that regardless of the sex of the buried people, the location of the crutches in graves is the same, i. e. they are found on the right or left side...

Purpose. The subject of the article are splintered pieces and their variability from the Upper Paleolithic assemblies from Central Asia, which have not yet undergone special study. The authors employed an experimental approach to verify data obtained through the analysis of archaeological splintered pieces and to explore modification patterns of these tools. Results. Experiments included splitting various soft organic materials with splintered pieces, including red deer antler, wood, and bone. The experimental use of splintered pieces allowed to draw the following conclusions. The edge characteristic to splintered pieces was shaped by contact with hammers, but not with the soft material to be processed. Double-edged splintered pieces were produced when the tool was rotated and a new stage of use was performed. The morphology of splintered pieces varies depending on the intensity of their use. Conclusion. In the case of Central Asian splintered pieces (Tien-Shan and Siberia), the aut...

An archaeological survey was conducted in the Salangthel Hill, in Manipur (India), in 2019 to assess the nature of material records. The survey documented megaliths and engraved marks on stones such as footprints, female genital organs, and depressed marks, some of which were previously reported but also include documentation of unreported features such as a rock pool. The survey reveals that three ethnic communities settled near the vicinity assert their claims to these stone monuments as legacies of their ancestors. It shows that several stone monuments were destroyed recently due to ethnic tension and construction activities, particularly road cutting and house building. These new findings will be of interest to archaeologists working in the region and policymakers in general.

TORTUES DANS L'ART RUPESTRE DU CENTRE DE L'INDE De nombreux animaux sont toujours vénérés par différentes tribus indiennes. Dans l'art rupestre de l'Inde, ils sont souvent représentés « avec des formes gigantesques, le corps décoré de motifs complexes et de manière à susciter l'émoi dans l'esprit du spectateur. » (Wakankar 1987, p. 90). Dr. Vishnu Shridhar Wakankar, qui a découvert le site de Bhimbetka, est considéré comme l'archéologue indien le plus distingué. Quel que soit le sujet particulier que l'on étudie, il est toujours nécessaire de vérifier ce qu'il en a dit. Il a mentionné les tortues (sous leur alias de « tortoise ») dans son livre de 1987. « Certaines tribus, comme les Indiens américains, croient que leurs ancêtres descendent d'un animal particulier. La tribu Vanar de Kashinda avait une croyance semblable. Certaines tribus ont un totem ou un masque particulier pour leur tribu. L'animal devint ainsi pour eux un important objet de vénération. Voici les animaux ainsi vénérés par ces tribus mésolithiques. 1. Poisson, 2. Tortue, 3. Taureau, 4. Sanglier, 5. Serpent, 6. Buffle et, rarement, 7. Éléphant, 8. Autruche, 9. Tigre et 10. Sambhar », et puis : « Les représentations de Tortues ne sont pas aussi fréquentes que celles de poissons, mais on les a observées à Gajamar (Raigad). La Tortue n'a pas une telle importance dans l'ordre religieux des tribus, sauf pour la conception hindoue de Vichnou dans le culte Vaishnava. » (Wakankar 1987, p. 9). Nous pouvons constater qu'il ne les a pas omises, sans toutefois leur attacher une importance particulière. Représentations de tortues Nous avons vu des représentations de tortues sur 18 sites différents d'art rupestre : quatre à Chhattisgarh

The present work is a brief observation on the occurrence of different megalithic sites and localities spread in south Jharkhand, particularly, in Porahaat region of West Singhbhum (Chaibasa) district. The region is inhabitant by the Munda and Ho communities, who practice megalithism. There are several megalithic localities in the valley of Bandgaon and the outskirts of the village settlements of Hos in Porahaat plains. The megalithic types in the study area are mainly menhirs, located in isolation, in pairs, and alignments. The present paper is concerned with the typology and distribution pattern of the sites in two different landscapes, i.e. dense forest of a high-altitude valley with 400 to 600 AMSL and the plains with 200 to 300 AMSL of Porahaat region of the district. The paper also concerns to focus on the correlation of ancient megaliths with ethnographic evidence in the region to understand the possible affinity of the present megalithic community with these monuments.

The coussiouar art belongs to the Wajãpi people and integrates its cultural repertoire. Apparently circumscribed to body graphics, it comes to express much more than graphic patterns, as well as the cosmosview, the beliefs and the shamanistic practices of the people through oral narratives. At the beginning of the 21st century it was considered a world heritage by Unesco and this phenomenon seemed to indicate a shift from the condition of “other”, exotic and exogenous, to the recognition of indianness. But the process of patrimonialization of
Kusiwa art reveals in essence the resistance of the Wajãpi as well as the appropriation of tools of the contemporary world to record and safeguard their intangible heritage. Thus, in this article we start from the ethnographic accounts of nineteenth century travelers to enter the history of the present time, considering that this trajectory of recognition of Coussiouar or Kusiwa art does not translate into a linear and unqualified journey, but above all, in an epistemic contemporary
confrontation of otherness, power and patrimonialization of differences.

In Indian rock art, birds are not the most often represented subject but they are still plentiful. Among their representations, from the Early Mesolithic (12,000/10,000 years ago) down to historic times, those of peacocks are largely dominant in all periods and are particularly present in the State of Madhya Pradesh, which is the State with most rock art in India. Thus, we shall mostly devote our study to Madhya Pradesh but also to the neighbouring State of Chhattisgarh. Our ethnological research has shown that beliefs and customs involving birds can be found in various tribes, such as the Gonds, the Korkus and the Bhils, whose art represents birds, among other traditional motifs.

Es común decir que la arqueología tiene su cuna en el colo-nialismo y, desde su formación como una ciencia en el siglo XIX, que sus prácticas se desarrollaron bajo la hegemonía del pensa-miento occidental y de los intereses económicos de las élites polí-tico-ideológicas y del Estado. En las últimas décadas muchos investigadores rompieron con esa herencia, criticando las prácticas colonialistas, cambiando de rumbo y proponiendo una «arqueología alternativa» (Trigger 2008). La consolidación de esa ruptura, sin embargo, exige un amplio debate de la ética local y mundial-sobre la gestión del patrimo-nio arqueológico-lo que les permite trascender los métodos tra-dicionales del occidente y sus principios teóricos. De hecho, para hacer posible una arqueología distinta de los patrones hegemóni-cos, desde el diseño hasta la difusión de datos de la investigación, es necesario desarrollar métodos arqueológicos más reflexivos, donde la multivocalidad es un componente importante (Hodder 2000; Liebmann y Rizvi 2008; Habu, Fawcet y Matsunaga 2008; Meskell 2009).

Rock art in Madhya Pradesh, predominantly pictographic, in open sand stone shelters, is also accompanied by a petroglyphic, mainly cup mark tradition. Its hallmark is a depiction of hunting, gathering and agro pastoral culture, continuing till today in the art and life ways of its hill and forest dwelling tribal people. The rock art style oscillates between iconic and non iconic, dynamic and static, figural and geometric, anatomical and non anatomical, natural and abstract, because of its Central Indian situation, which partakes of the stylistic preferences of surrounding eco cultural regions. It also shows a coexistence and overlap of cultures and a co occurrence of floral, faunal and crop assemblages from different chronological horizons. The relative isolation and inaccessibility of the region has preserved a heterogeneity and continuity of the subsistence technologies depicted in the rock art, which should help in carrying out replicative, experimental and cognitive archaeology, for relating the extensive material remains near rock shelters with the succession of occupation episodes and conceptual perceptions of the people living in these shelters. Ecological conservation of the rock art landscapes as living habitats of human and non human communities is essential for such research. The cognitive beginnings of humanity, preserved in Madhya Pradesh, have to be guarded against the relentless advance of predatory developmentalism and bio cultural reductionism, as irreplaceable human heritage.

The history of archaeological research in the Amazon goes back to 19th century, however it was mainly in the last decade that researchers have given attention to local people´s interests, perceptions and knowledge of archaeological remains. Such recent topic of research has shown in the Amazon a series of different modes of knowledge about materialities
of the past, questioning long-standing notions of archaeological scientifc practices. Embracing recent production of ethnographic archaeologies in the Amazon, which allows us to know other modes of
knowledge, I shall enlighten the differences between scientifc and local knowledge, aiming at highlighting the richness of diverse ways of expression for the materialities of the past which are available among
living people of the Amazon.