EAA 2023: Abstract

In 1972, with his "Stone age economics", with the idea of "original affluent society" Marshall Sahlins allowed to develop a first complex discussion around the meaning of complexity, inequality and wealth. What after more than 50 years still remains effective is the possibility to avoid deterministic and mechanistic explanation, when considering that each one (as many others) of these concepts needs to be contextualised to be used and, thus, to became helpful in our historical enquiries. While this statement seems quite obvious, less obvious could became in the dialogue between disciplines and analytical perspective. Inequality is not a concept univocal, but depends from the comparison we make and the relationship we explore in our investigation, and depends also by the different documentary series we take into account.
By comparing investigation carried out in the mountains of southern Europe which made it possible to analyse, with a micro-analytical perspective, the transformations of different rural hamlets between the 17th and 21st centuries, this paper aims to reflect on some possible key issues. Inequality as a concept becomes intelligible when social groups and collectivities are considered in relation to each other, so which are the relationship and the distance we take in account? If objects creates social relationships, and there are no relationships without objects, the different uses of objects is enough to explore the complexity of the "inequality"?

rural archaeology, marginalisation processes, mediterranean mountain, sharing practices

Oral presentation

  Abstract (PDF)

Anna Maria Stagno¹

Matteo Tacca¹
Matteo Di Tullio²
Giulia Bizzarri¹