Religion at Work in a Neolithic Society
Vital Matters

A unique collaboration between archaeologists and a range of specialists in ritual and religion, looking at the role of religion in early human societies.

Ian Hodder (Edited by)

9781107047334, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 10 February 2014

399 pages, 46 b/w illus. 1 map 2 tables
26 x 18.3 x 2.2 cm, 0.99 kg

'This innovative and path-breaking book provides indispensable insights into the material and immaterial worlds of Neolithic community, ritual, and religion. The essays of these international scholars will quickly draw readers into the exciting worlds of Neolithic life in general, and Çatalhöyük in particular, and reshape debate and discussion of daily life within Neolithic communities for years to come.' Ian Kuijt, University of Notre Dame

This book tackles the topic of religion, a broad subject exciting renewed interest across the social and historical sciences. The volume is tightly focused on the early farming village of Çatalhöyük, which has generated much interest both within and outside of archaeology, especially for its contributions to the understanding of early religion. The volume discusses contemporary themes such as materiality, animism, object vitality, and material dimensions of spirituality while at the same time exploring broad evolutionary changes in the ways in which religion has influenced society. The volume results from a unique collaboration between an archaeological team and a range of specialists in ritual and religion.

1. The vitalities of Çatalhöyük Ian Hodder
Part I. Vital Religion: The Evolutionary Context of Religion at Çatalhöyük: 2. Different strokes for different folks: Near Eastern Neolithic mortuary practices in perspective Nigel Goring-Morris and Anna Belfer-Cohen
3. Excavating theogonies: anthropomorphic promiscuity and sociographic prudery in the Neolithic and now LeRon Shults
4. Religion as anthropomorphism at Çatalhöyük Stewart Guthrie
5. The historical self: memory and religion at Çatalhöyük J. Wentzel van Huyssteen
6. Modes of religiosity and the evolution of social complexity at Çatalhöyük Harvey Whitehouse, Camilla Mazzucato, Ian Hodder and Quentin D. Atkinson
Part II. Vital Materials at Çatalhöyük: 7. Relational networks and religious sodalities at Çatalhöyük Barbara Mills
8. Using 'magic' to think from the material: tracing distributed agency, revelation, and concealment at Çatalhöyük Carolyn Nakamura and Peter Pels
9. 'Motherbaby': a death in childbirth at Çatalhöyük Kimberley Patton and Lori Hager
10. The hau of the house Mary Weismantel
11. Material register, surface, and form at Çatalhöyük Victor Buchli
12. The use of spatial order in Çatalhöyük material culture Anke Kamerman
Part III. Vital Data: 13. Theories and their data: interdisciplinary interactions at Çatalhöyük Ian Hodder.

Subject Areas: Religion: general [HRA], Religion & beliefs [HR], Prehistoric archaeology [HDDA], Archaeology by period / region [HDD]