Material Culture and Text: The Art of Ambiguity

By Christopher Tilley

Originally published in 1991, this is the first book-length exploration of post-structuralist discourse theory in archaeology. It tackles the most basic problem of historical and archaeological analysis - the relationship between text and artefact - in an analysis of prehistoric art fusing theory and the practice of interpretation to create a fresh framework for understanding the relationship between past and present. Focusing on a collection of rock carvings from northern Sweden, the author shows how alternative conceptualizations of the material from structuralist, hermeneutic and structural-Marxist frameworks substantially alter our understanding of their meaning and significance. Engaging readers in an interpretive process, this book is for specialists in archaeology, anthropology, art history and cultural studies.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1138815160
• ISBN13: 9781138815162
• Release Date: October 2014
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 206 Pages
• Weight: 0.97 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.2" x 9.2"