Gender in Ancient Cyprus: Narratives of Social Change on a Mediterranean Island

by Diane Bolger

Archaeological research of the Near East lags behind other regions in its consideration of gender-related issues in its treatment of the past. Diane Bolger's present work contributes to the nascent research that aims to fill this gap. Gender in Ancient Cyprus examines some of the fundamental facets of gender as they intersect with the dynamics of social, political, and economic change in Cyprus, beginning with the earliest traces of human habitation on the island to the final phases of the Bronze Age. The book closely analyzes gender as it relates to the domestic space, technology and labor, ritual and social identity, and the roles of children, as well as the practices of modern day Near Eastern archaeology and the roles of women in it. Parallels are drawn to more developed cases elsewhere in the world. This volume is important for scholars and students interested in gender-sensitive interpretations of the archaeological record and in the ways that gender reshapes its present practices.

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003