Zooarchaeology and the elusive feast: from performance to aftermath

Rowley-Conwy, P.

doi:10.1080/00438243.2018.1445024

Zooarchaeology and the elusive feast: from performance to aftermath

Rowley-Conwy, P.

Authors

Professor Peter Rowley-Conwy p.a.rowley-conwy@durham.ac.uk
Emeritus Professor

Abstract

Ethnographic descriptions of feasts reveal that consumption of meat is usually prominent. Zooarchaeological evidence may thus provide the best way of seeing feasts in the archaeological record. The accumulation of trophy arrays and ongoing high-status activities are confusing behaviours that may be misconstrued as archaeological evidence of feasts. A four-fold classification of zooarchaeological evidence for feasts is put forward: ‘over the top’ (high status); ‘ritually charged garbage’ (often religious); ‘small but special’ (nevertheless sometimes visible); and ‘was this feasting?’ (sometimes equivocal). This typology may allow archaeologists to distinguish between the ethnographic categories of competitive feasts and solidarity feasts.

Citation

Rowley-Conwy, P. (2018). Zooarchaeology and the elusive feast: from performance to aftermath. World Archaeology, 50(2), 221-241. https://doi.org/10.1080/00438243.2018.1445024

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Feb 16, 2018
Online Publication Date	Mar 12, 2018
Publication Date	2018
Deposit Date	Feb 16, 2018
Publicly Available Date	Sep 12, 2019
Journal	World Archaeology
Print ISSN	0043-8243
Electronic ISSN	1470-1375
Publisher	Taylor and Francis Group
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	50
Issue	2
Pages	221-241
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1080/00438243.2018.1445024

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Copyright Statement
Revised version This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in World Archaeology on 12 March 2018 available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/00438243.2018.1445024