In this thesis the spatiotemporal change in burial structures during the Middle Yayoi (200 B.C. – A.D. 50) in northern Kyūshū, Japan, is examined from the perspective of agency as dialectic entity....Show moreIn this thesis the spatiotemporal change in burial structures during the Middle Yayoi (200 B.C. – A.D. 50) in northern Kyūshū, Japan, is examined from the perspective of agency as dialectic entity. The purpose of this thesis is to provide a clear overview of this change and to contribute to a better understanding of the Middle Yayoi society. Between Yayoi III and IV, a sudden change is detected in the burial structures: new structures emerge whilst others disappear, and structures are utilized in different ways. In addition, a north-south contrast regarding the distribution of the cemetery sites can be observed for Yayoi IV. These occurrences illustrate a significant change for Middle Yayoi society, which can be illuminated by using the concept of dialectic agency. Dialectic agency does not explain why material change occurs, nor does it explain the reasons for social changes. Instead, it contributes to a better understanding of the process of change. The changes in burial structures can be indirectly explained by external influences. It is most probably that the external influences constitute the interaction and trade relations between the Japanese archipelago and the Korean peninsula and Chinese mainland. From the perspective of agency as dialectic entity, this external influence altered the Middle Yayoi social structure significantly. Consequently, the knowledgeable human agent was orchestrated in new ways, resulting in the performance of differently motivated actions and activities. Thus, as a result of the significant changes in the social structure of northern Kyūshū societies, burial structures changed considerably. The changes in burial structures can be used to illustrate a social change during the Middle Yayoi.Show less
In today's world, I feel that archaeologists often overlook the influence they have on society and identity through the popular representations of their findings. As these representations are often...Show moreIn today's world, I feel that archaeologists often overlook the influence they have on society and identity through the popular representations of their findings. As these representations are often beyond the control of archaeologists, they run the risk of giving the people an image of the past that is simplified and/or full of speculation. This in turn can lead to (and has led to, both in past and present) political misuse of archaeology. Through a lesser studied case-study in the field of Japanese archaeology, the protohistoric Kofun era and its haniwa clay figurines, this paper aims to create an awareness of how the way we represent our finds influences the identity of a society, both on a small scale and on a national scale, and how we can gauge this influence by looking at a nation's popular culture and art. In this I will focus specifically on the popular representations in archaeological parks and festivals and on how to find the influence of these representations in popular culture and art. As I find out during my research it is certainly possible to see an influence of archaeology in popular culture. Unfortunately the question remains if this is really an influence of the way archaeology is represented, or merely a matter of taste and interest of the artist. One might argue though that if a lot of artists like using these archaeological images this in itself could be a visible influence of the impact of archaeological representations. Either way it appears that more research is needed in this field.Show less
