The Archaeology/Gender Theory Dualism: A meta-study of sex/gender in archaeological research of the 3rd millennium BCE Europe

Sex/gender is a topic that is on the rise, also in archaeology. However, research into the topic can be used politically, therefore researchers must be conscious about potentially pushing problematic rhetoric in their discourse. In this thesis, it is analyzed how gender theory has become integrated into archaeological research about sex/gender in the 3rd millennium BCE Europe of the past 10. Furthermore, handholds are provided to bridge the gap between gender theory and archaeological research through suggestions based on the points where archaeology struggles to integrate gender theory. In gender theory, the general discourse has placed the origins of the modern gender system in the 17th century Enlightenment period. It is from this period that the colonial conception of European sex/gender starts to develop, which is also exported around the world, becoming caught up in a network of oppression. Furthermore, in the Enlightenment period, sex/gender also becomes a part of science....Show moreSex/gender is a topic that is on the rise, also in archaeology. However, research into the topic can be used politically, therefore researchers must be conscious about potentially pushing problematic rhetoric in their discourse. In this thesis, it is analyzed how gender theory has become integrated into archaeological research about sex/gender in the 3rd millennium BCE Europe of the past 10. Furthermore, handholds are provided to bridge the gap between gender theory and archaeological research through suggestions based on the points where archaeology struggles to integrate gender theory. In gender theory, the general discourse has placed the origins of the modern gender system in the 17th century Enlightenment period. It is from this period that the colonial conception of European sex/gender starts to develop, which is also exported around the world, becoming caught up in a network of oppression. Furthermore, in the Enlightenment period, sex/gender also becomes a part of science. This entanglement with science creates the cycle between science and society, wherein science reinforces societal ideas about sex/gender, thus legitimizing it as a natural, inherent, ahistorical category. This can also be observed in archaeology, wherein 19th century ideas of osteological remains and grave goods still circulate in the discourse. Currently there is push back against such narratives originating from second wave feminism that birthed gender theory as an academic field. The 3rd millennium BCE Europe is chosen as case study for this thesis, due to the perceived start of binary and strict gender divisions in this area and period. This interpretation is based on the burial ritual of three Single Grave Burial cultures (Yamnaya, CWC and BB) as well as the settlement patterns that are observed; a patrilocal society with female exogamy and a male warrior elite. Through a meta-study it is observed that archaeological sex/gender research has not yet incorporated gender theory in many instances. Furthermore, deterministic and binary narratives are often perpetuated and sex/gender determination often hinges solely on osteological remains. Overall, biases are also present in around 34.7% to 46.9% of the 98 publications. When converting to a numerical assessment, it can be stated that archaeological sex/gender research is not integrating gender theory and thus subpar in quality. It can also be stated that the state of archaeological sex/gender research has remained mostly stagnant over the past 10 years, especially outside the gender archaeology specialization. As a result, archaeological sex/gender research currently feeds into the cycle between science and society that has preconceived notions of how people act based on their sex/gender category, while those categories themselves are thought to be inherent and ahistorical. Suggestions are done for future research are made in relation to areas that result in interpretations not properly grounded in gender theory discourse; namely biological sex, biases that are expected thus found, and the records that are cited. The suggestions that are proposed are an intersectional approach, a more cautious use of language, the exploration of alternative interpretations, an awareness of biases and assumptions in the modern gender system, a caution when citing colonial and post-colonial records and other archaeologists, as well as an acknowledgment of the limits of the archaeological record that allows for space for multiple interpretations of the same data. Furthermore, archaeologists are requested to put in work in decolonizing their own work, without which the discourse will not change.Show less

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The Archaeology/Gender Theory Dualism: A meta-study of sex/gender in archaeological research of the 3rd millennium BCE Europe