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Traces of the past : classics between history and archaeology / Karen Bassi.
Author
Bassi, Karen
[Browse]
Format
Book
Language
English
Published/Created
Ann Arbor : University of Michigan Press, [2016]
Description
1 online resource
Availability
Available Online
JSTOR DDA
University of Michigan Press Ebook Collection
Details
Subject(s)
Literature
—
Philosophy
[Browse]
Material culture
—
Philosophy
[Browse]
Archaeology
—
Philosophy
[Browse]
History
—
Philosophy
[Browse]
Greek literature
—
History and criticism
[Browse]
Classical literature
—
History and criticism
[Browse]
Classical antiquities
[Browse]
Archaeology and history
[Browse]
Summary note
"What are we doing when we walk into an archaeological museum or onto an archaeological site? What do the objects and features we encounter in these unique places mean and, more specifically, how do they convey to us something about the beliefs and activities of formerly living humans? In short, how do visible remains and ruins in the present give meaning to the human past? Karen Bassi addresses these questions through detailed close readings of canonical works spanning the archaic to the classical periods of ancient Greek culture, showing how the past is constituted in descriptions of what narrators and characters see in their present context. She introduces the term protoarchaeological to refer to narratives that navigate the gap between linguistic representation and empirical observation--between words and things--in accessing and giving meaning to the past. Such narratives invite readers to view the past as a receding visual field and, in the process, to cross the disciplinary boundaries that divide literature, history, and archaeology. Aimed at classicists, literary scholars, ancient historians, cultural historians, and archaeological theorists, the book combines three areas of research: time as a feature of narrative structure in literary theory; the concept of 'the past itself' in the philosophy of history; and the ontological status of material objects in archaeological theory. Each of five central chapters explores how specific protoarchaeological narratives--from the fate of Zeus' stone in Hesiod's Theogony to the contest between words and objects in Aristophanes' Frogs--both expose and attempt to bridge this gap. Throughout, the book serves as a response to Herodotus' task in writing the Histories, namely, to ensure that 'the past deeds of men do not fade with time'"-- Provided by publisher.
Bibliographic references
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Source of description
Print version record.
Contents
Introduction: Seeing the Past
The Landscape of the Past in Hesiod's Theogony
The Hypothetical Past and the Achaean Wall in the Iliad
Blinded by Time : The Past "As If" in the Odyssey
"Up to My Time" : The Fading of the Past in Herodotus' Histories
Tragedy Vanishes : Reading the Past in Aristophanes' Frogs
Epilogue: Reading the Past.
Show 4 more Contents items
ISBN
9780472121960 ((electronic bk.))
0472121960 ((electronic bk.))
LCCN
2016017200
OCLC
957345218
Other standard number
10.3998/mpub.8785930
Statement on language in description
Princeton University Library aims to describe library materials in a manner that is respectful to the individuals and communities who create, use, and are represented in the collections we manage.
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Traces of the past : classics between history and archaeology / Karen Bassi.
id
99124492393506421
Traces of the past : classics between history and archaeology / Karen Bassi.
id
9999522493506421