ABSTRACT
The question of who defines the “norms” in society, and how the definitions affect those not in power, has become a focus of concern within modern American academe.1 In the fields of ancient studies, this concern has largely been addressed through feminist and related research,2
influenced by the developments in post-structuralist and postmodern theory in a number of disciplines of the humanities. Classical archaeology and ancient art history have lagged behind other branches of archaeology and art history in acknowledging and accepting the legitimacy of feminist scholarship. Art historians concentrating on later periods and archaeologists studying non-Mediterranean or prehistoric subjects not labelled “art” have more readily incorporated new theoretical approaches into their work. This is largely a result of established traditions of research on ancient art, which have emphasized “good” art and reinforced longstanding aesthetic ideals. Furthermore, ancient art has often been subdivided according to medium or type, and broken into isolated groupings that have served to discourage an examination of broad social context. The idea that certain types of art and images are naturally superior to others has also created an environment that does not encourage scholarly self-criticism.
