ABSTRACT
How much has the sub-field of archaeological fragmentation changed in the 20+ years since the publication of “Fragmentation in archaeology”? Does the Fragmentation Premise still hold water? Does enchainment continue to be a valuable concept? And do the relational identities linked in the Identity Triangle provide a useful conceptual framework for fragmentation analysis?
In this chapter, I attempt to define areas of progress and aspects of the original approach that have been overtaken by more powerful theory and practice. After setting the scene by presenting some of the key moments in the development of fragmentation studies, I re-assert the importance of place by inserting the notion of ‘landscape fragmentation’ into the relational identity triangle. Accomplishing this allows me to pursue the aim of identifying the implications of a recent turn in fragmentation studies – the turn towards multiple entities. This enables me to extend the idea of ‘multiple objects’ to discuss multiple places and people as well. I conclude by seeking to connect these four fragments of the same picture in a consideration of relational identities.
