Histories: Cultural Lessons from the Past? |  |
Internet Exerices1. Read the article at http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/gender2000/Papers/Nelson.pdf- What is the central thesis of this article?
- How is that thesis supported?
- How does this article relate to the textbook chapter?
- Do you find the author's argument convincing? Why/why not?
2. Archaeologists interested in gender, and many who are not archaeologists, find prehistoric 'Venus figurines' fascinating objects of speculation. Go to http://witcombe.sbc.edu/willendorf/, and explore the site thoroughly, learning about one of the most famous of these figurines.
- Locate one other internet site with information on a Venus figurine. (You might want to search for Çatal Hüyük, for example.)
- What interpretations of these figurines are offered on the two sites?
- How does our modern thinking about gender influence these interpretations?
- How do you interpret these figurines?
3. Historical archaeology offers access to data not available to prehistoric archaeologists. Nevertheless, gender is not always made visible by historical evidence. Go to http://community.middlebury.edu/~mtindep/Starbuck.html to read more detail on Starbuck's work at military sites in the US.
- What obstacles does Starbuck encounter in his efforts to know more about women's roles in these military camps?
- Imagine that you are a genie who can grant any wish. What sort of archaeological or historical evidence might Starbuck wish for, in his quest to learn more about women's roles in these military camps?
- Given the absence of a genie, what further course of action might Starbuck take, in pursuit of a better knowledge of women's roles in these military camps?
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2004 McGraw-Hill Higher Education