Gender in Ancient Cyprus

[T]his volume is a tour de force of gender archeology. Bolger controls the latest literature and discusses the application of old and new theories to the sites at hand. The book is written for the practicing archaeologist, but students can benefit from its transparent structure and detailed exposition of archaeological data. Courses in gender and archaeology will profit from its use, regardless of the region that is most familiar to the instructor. The volume will also provide an excellent addition to courses on Mediterranean, Near Eastern, or European archaeology. -- Sarah Milledge Nelson * From The Foreword *
Diane Bolger, the acknowledged principal researcher in the nascent field of gender studies in Cypriot archaeology, offers a most insightful volume. Assessing patterns of gender relations in the daily arena in ancient Cyprus over a span of nearly 8,000 years, she presents a masterful treatment of the material record that encompasses domestic structures, economic activities, anthropomorphic figurines, the roles of children and adolescents, and mortuary practices. Her integration of the context of material remains in tandem with social and economic progressions promises to forge new perspectives on the reality of human interaction and identity in Cyprus during the prehistoric period. This book will break new ground in the field of Cypriot studies. -- Nancy Serwint, Arizona State University
A diligent presentation of theoretical premises and contextualized evidence, with appendixes to orient nonspecialists to prehistoric Cyprus, makes this book useful to both Cyprus specialists and anyone interested in the potential of archaeology to create a more fully gendered past. Highly recommended. -- S. Langdon, University of Missouri-Columbia * CHOICE *
Bolger's new monograph represents a pioneering attempt to highlight the role of women and men in reconstructing the Cypriot past. . . . she treats a span of nearly eight thousand years with a fluency and competence that instill admiration and warrant recognition. . . Anyone with an abiding interest in Mediterranean, and especially Cypriot, archaeology can but gratefully acknowledge Bolger's fortitude an determination in undertaking this unprecedented foray into one of archaeology's most volatile and difficult interpretative arenas (gender relations), in a cultural area (Cyprus) that remains staunchly resistant to theoretical and social approaches. I have learned a great deal from Bolger's study, and will use this volume not only in my own research but also as a key reference in courses I teach on Mediterranean and Cypriot archaeology, and on archaeological theory. * Journal of the American Oriental Society *
Bolger's book deserves the attention of anyone interested in social and economic reality in antiquity, especially throughout the Mediterranean and ancient Near East. It is highly readable, concise, well illustrated and informative. It will help all those working in the region to better understand the role of women in specific cultures and throughout the region. * Near Eastern Archaeology *
Diane Bolger has produced a highly provocative, lucid, and well-researched study on gender and Cypriot prehistory. The first of its kind, the book lays out a series of overlapping arguments about the ways in which gendered identities were realigned and reconstituted over the course of eight millennia, from the first hunter-gatherers on the island to the urban polities of the Late Bronze Age. The book is rich in detail and insight, exploring the intersections between gender, social agency, domestic space, lifecycles, technology, labor, mortuary evidence, sexual ambiguity, and ritual performance. Bolger succeeds superbly in unmasking long-standing biases and intelligently placing gender at the forefront of Cypriot scholarship. -- Lauren E. Talalay, Author of Deities, Dolls and Devices, and Associate Director and Curator at Kelsey Museum of Archaeology, University of Mi