Human-Animal Relations in Bronze Age Crete: A History through Objects

Archaeologists have long admired the naturalistic animal art of Minoan Crete, but Andrew Shapland provides a new way of understanding it through human-animal relations. He explores the stylistic development of animal depictions in different media and explains them in terms of animal practices, highlighting the significance of objects and their associated human-animal relations in the history of Bronze Age Crete.

Format: Hardback
Length: 290 pages
Publication date: 12 May 2022
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Archaeologists have long been captivated by the naturalistic animal art of Minoan Crete, frequently interpreting it in terms of religion or a deep appreciation for the natural world. In his groundbreaking book, Andrew Shapland presents a fresh perspective on animal representations from Bronze Age Crete, viewing them as the result of human-animal interactions. Drawing from anthropology and Human-Animal Studies, he delves into the stylistic evolution of animal depictions across various media, including frescoes, ceramics, stone vessels, seals, and wall paintings. By examining animal practices such as bull-leaping, hunting, fishing, and collecting, Shapland offers insightful explanations for these artistic representations. By integrating zooarchaeological findings, he emphasizes the significance of objects and their associated human-animal relations in the history of Bronze Age Crete's palaces, sanctuaries, and tombs. Shapland's volume showcases how studying animals offers new insights into familiar sites like Knossos and some of the most iconic artifacts from this time and place.

Weight: 760g
Dimension: 259 x 182 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781009151542