Archaeology and world religion - Insoll, Timothy; T&F eBooks (London ; New York : Routledge, 2001)
Machine generated contents note: List of figures viii -- List of tables xi -- List of contributors xii -- Acknowledgements xiii -- 1 Introduction: the archaeology of world religion -- TIMOTHY INSOLL -- Definitions and objectives 1 -- An approach to the archaeology of world religion? 3 -- Negative approaches to archaeology and world religion 10 Positive approaches to archaeology and world religion 16 -- The individual chapters 23 -- References 28 -- 2 The archaeology of Hinduism 33 -- DILIP CHAKRABARTI -- Introduction. A difference in perception: the West vis-a-vis the practising Hindu 33 -- The problem of delimiting an archaeological approach 35 -- Archaeological evidencefor rituals, symbols, and deities known to modern Hinduism 35 -- The implications of the archaeological evidence 51 -- Sacred space and continuity. The dimensions of sacred space in the Indian countryside 53 -- Sacred space and archaeology 55 -- The variables behind the growth and continuity of a major pilgrim centre: ancient Varanasi 57 -- Conclusions 58 -- References 59 -- 3 The archaeology of Buddhism 6 I -- ROBIN CONINGHAM -- Introduction 61 -- The life of the Buddha: a textual narrative 63 -- The life of the Buddha: an archaeological narrative 65 -- A review of the typology of Buddhist monuments 70 -- The case studies 80 -- Conclusion: towards an archaeology of Buddhism 87 -- References 91 -- 4 The archaeology ofJudaism 96 -- RACHEL HACHLILI -- Introduction 96 -- The synagogue 97 -- Jewish burial customs 105 -- Iconography and symbolism 112 -- Inscriptions 117 -- Dietary remains 119 -- The traditional domestic environment 119 -- Conclusions 120 -- References 121 -- 5 The archaeology of Islam 123 -- TIMOTHY INSOLL -- Introduction 123 -- Islam - unity and diversity 124 -- The mosque 125 -- The Muslim burial 129 -- Muslim diet 131 -- The traditional domestic environment 133 -- The communiy environment 137 -- A case study: the Cambridge mosque and cemetery 139 -- Conclusions 144 -- References 145 -- 6 The archaeology of Christianity in global perspective 148 -- PAUL LANE -- Introduction 148 -- Archaeological approaches to the study of Christianity 149 -- Interpreting Christian burials and iconography 151 -- Mission, conversion, and the 'colonisation of consciousness' 153 -- Churches and the archaeology of 'cult' 159 -- Transformations of sacred space 164 -- Monasticism and pilgrimage 170 -- Time and the emergence of a Christian core 174 -- Conclusions 176 -- References 177 -- 7 Ethics and the archaeology of world religions 182 -- ANDERS BERGQUIST -- Introduction 182 -- Religion, archaeology, and the sacred 182 -- Case studies 186 Conclusions 190 -- References 191 -- 8 Gender in the archaeology of world religion? 193 -- RACHEL MACLEAN -- Introduction 193 -- Gender and world religion 194 -- Gender and the archaeology of world religion 195 -- Gods and goddesses/goddesses and gods 199 -- Conclusions 200 -- References 201 -- 9 Death, being, and time: the historical context -- of the world religions 203 -- MIKE PARKER PEARSON -- Introduction 203 -- Technologies of belief 204 -- Late Victorian theories of the origin and evolution of religion 205 -- Death, being, and time 208 -- Changing conceptions of the supernatural in the last 5,000years 209 -- The questfor immortality on earth 210 -- The rise of the world religions 213 -- The rise of secular beliefs 214 -- Conclusions 215 -- References 218 -- Index 221.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Also available in print edition.
Mode of access: World Wide Web.
Keywords: Archaeology and religion; Electronic books