ABSTRACT
Agency theory examines the relationship between individuals or groups when one party is doing work on behalf of another. 'Agency and Identity in the Ancient Near East' offers a theoretical study of agency and identity in Near Eastern archaeology, an area which until now has been largely ignored by archaeologists. The book explores how agency theory can be employed in reconstructing the meaning of spaces and material culture, how agency and identity intersect, and how the availability of a textual corpus may impact on the agency approach. Ranging from the Neolithic to the Islamic period, 'Agency and Identity in the Ancient Near East' covers sites located in Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, and Israel. The volume includes contributions from philology, art, history, computer simulation studies, materials science, and the archaeology of settlement and architecture.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
part I|50 pages
The Agency of Place
chapter 2|14 pages
Movement Across the Landscape and Residential Stability
part II|66 pages
The Agency of Daily Practice
chapter 7|18 pages
Shared Painting
part III|63 pages
The Agency of Power
chapter 9|19 pages
Material Culture and Identity
chapter 10|18 pages
Object Agency?
chapter 11|15 pages
Akkad and Agency, Archaeology and Annals
part IV|10 pages
Beyond Agency