Knowledge and Power in Prehistoric Societies: Orality, Memory and the Transmission of Culture

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Lynne Kelly (La Trobe University, Victoria)

Knowledge and Power in Prehistoric Societies

Orality, Memory and the Transmission of Culture

Lynne Kelly (La Trobe University, Victoria)

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English

Cambridge University Press
18 June 2015

Ancient history: to c 500 CE; Mathematics & Sciences

In this book, Lynne Kelly explores the role of formal knowledge systems in small-scale oral cultures in both historic and archaeological contexts. In the first part, she examines knowledge systems within historically recorded oral cultures, showing how the link between power and the control of knowledge is established. Analyzing the material mnemonic devices used by documented oral cultures, she demonstrates how early societies maintained a vast corpus of pragmatic information concerning animal behavior, plant properties, navigation, astronomy, genealogies, laws and trade agreements, among other matters. In the second part Kelly turns to the archaeological record of three sites, Chaco Canyon, Poverty Point and Stonehenge, offering new insights into the purpose of the monuments and associated decorated objects. This book demonstrates how an understanding of rational intellect, pragmatic knowledge and mnemonic technologies in prehistoric societies offers a new tool for analysis of monumental structures built by non-literate cultures.

By: Lynne Kelly (La Trobe University Victoria)
Imprint: Cambridge University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 261mm, Width: 182mm, Spine: 24mm
Weight: 810g
ISBN: 9781107059375
ISBN 10: 1107059372
Pages: 300
Publication Date: 18 June 2015
Audience: Professional and scholarly , College/higher education , Undergraduate , Primary
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Lynne Kelly is an Honorary Research Associate in the Department of Arts, Communication and Critical Enquiry at La Trobe University, Melbourne. She is the author of ten books on education, one novel and three popular science titles. Kelly is interested in the question of how non-literate cultures memorise so much about their environment in the absence of writing, which has led her to research the mnemonic technologies of oral cultures.