Breaking Images: Damage and Mutilation of Ancient Figurines

Archaeological remains are often fragmented, but not all of them are leftovers from the past. John Chapman's book "Fragmentation in Archaeology" explores the deliberate anthropic process of physical fragmentation and its impact on figurines, which are particularly entangled in social, spatial, temporal, and material relations. The volume aims to search for traces of any voluntary and intentional fragmentation of ancient artefacts and to develop methods and principles for a scientific investigation that goes beyond single author impressions or sensitivity.

Format: Hardback
Length: 464 pages
Publication date: 15 December 2022
Publisher: Oxbow Books

Archaeological remains are inherently fragmented, with the study of human history primarily focusing on traces, ruins, discarded items, and debris from past civilizations. It is uncommon for objects to be preserved in their original form and conception from the past. However, a significant portion of ancient fragmented objects were already part of the materiality in fragmentary or damaged states. In 2000, John Chapman's book "Fragmentation in Archaeology" drew attention to the need to reevaluate broken artifacts as the result of deliberate human physical fragmentation. This phenomenon can be explored further, particularly in the context of figurines, which due to their portability and size are intricately intertwined with social, spatial, temporal, and material relations. Figurines are uniquely capable of embodying and dismembering acts, making them a rich source for studying fragmentation. The act of creation itself involves both the creation and destruction of entities, as fragmentation gives rise to new entities with distinct ontologies. Breaking encompasses the paradigms of life: creation, repair, destruction, and regeneration.

The purpose of this volume is to seek evidence of any voluntary and intentional fragmentation of ancient artifacts. It aims to develop, refine, and enhance methods and principles for a scientific investigation that goes beyond individual impressions or sensitivities. By adopting a comparative lens, this volume allows readers to explore various fields from ancient societies.

Weight: 970g
Dimension: 247 x 177 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781789259148