Reflections of the Iron Age : biographies of mirrors
Reflections of the Iron Age : biographies of mirrors
In this thesis I test the validity of applying the biographical approach to prehistoric material culture by constructing biographies for iron-age mirrors. Building upon previous studies, and incorporating new information from recent discoveries, this thesis also provides the first study of the entire corpus of mirrors since 1909.
The biographical approach has been shown to be useful for studies which are historically or anthropologically situated. However, when the approach has been applied to prehistoric material culture the results have been less enlightening. Following Strathern (1988), the biography of a mirror is seen to be the sum of the social relationships that constitute it. Relationships were formulated when mirrors were made. The form of a mirror also directed the kinds of relationships that could be structured around them. By making mirrors from component parts which refer to other contemporary artefacts, mirrors had the potential to act within many different social spheres. The component parts of the mirror possess an ‘internal logic’. Metaphors created between the handle, the reflective side of the plate and decoration act to reemphasise the reflective properties of the mirror. Throughout their lives mirrors acted as an emblem of the relationships formulated by their production. As they were exchanged and used mirrors would have mediated further relationships. When they were deposited in graves mirrors acted in relationships between the deceased, other grave goods and mourners. The mirror also acted to physically constitute past relationships – its biography – which were referred to through the positioning of mirrors in the grave. Mirrors are seen to be a microcosm of relationships in the Iron Age.
University of Southampton
2007
Joy, Jody
(2007)
Reflections of the Iron Age : biographies of mirrors.
University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.
Record type:
Thesis
(Doctoral)
Abstract
In this thesis I test the validity of applying the biographical approach to prehistoric material culture by constructing biographies for iron-age mirrors. Building upon previous studies, and incorporating new information from recent discoveries, this thesis also provides the first study of the entire corpus of mirrors since 1909.
The biographical approach has been shown to be useful for studies which are historically or anthropologically situated. However, when the approach has been applied to prehistoric material culture the results have been less enlightening. Following Strathern (1988), the biography of a mirror is seen to be the sum of the social relationships that constitute it. Relationships were formulated when mirrors were made. The form of a mirror also directed the kinds of relationships that could be structured around them. By making mirrors from component parts which refer to other contemporary artefacts, mirrors had the potential to act within many different social spheres. The component parts of the mirror possess an ‘internal logic’. Metaphors created between the handle, the reflective side of the plate and decoration act to reemphasise the reflective properties of the mirror. Throughout their lives mirrors acted as an emblem of the relationships formulated by their production. As they were exchanged and used mirrors would have mediated further relationships. When they were deposited in graves mirrors acted in relationships between the deceased, other grave goods and mourners. The mirror also acted to physically constitute past relationships – its biography – which were referred to through the positioning of mirrors in the grave. Mirrors are seen to be a microcosm of relationships in the Iron Age.
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Published date: 2007
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Local EPrints ID: 466380
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/466380
PURE UUID: eee26988-d895-463e-a5fb-7419b5e89ed5
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Date deposited: 05 Jul 2022 05:12
Last modified: 05 Jul 2022 05:12
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Author:
Jody Joy
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