Flowing Rock, Dancing around Trees

Conviviality and the Landscape of Cyprus

Datos Bibliográficos

ID4587341
AutoresMichael Given (0000-0002-4450-381X, autor de correspondencia)
Año2022
Volumen85
Número1
Páginas4-11
Fecha de publicación2022-03-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaNear Eastern Archaeology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1094-2076 • E-ISSN: 1557-5594
EditorialUniversity of Chicago Press (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1086/718373
OpenAlexW4220830808
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas2
Referencias citadas13

Rocks and trees are often central to the lives of human communities: their role is far more complex and meaningful than supplying resources, status, or symbolism. In a convivial landscape, rocks, trees, and people are deeply connected, showing elaborate and powerful interdependencies. In this article I explore the idea of conviviality through a series of examples from Archaic to early twentieth-century Cyprus. The Acropolis cliffs of Kourion show the fluidity of rock, constantly changing because of the effects of water, weather, and humanity. In the northern Troodos Mountains, trees and people have been highly interconnected: when human activities are relatively diverse and small-scale, the ensuing relationships are resilient and healthy for the whole socioecological community. Human societies can recognize and celebrate this conviviality through stories that grow up around particular rocks and trees, or through rituals focused on sacred stones or enacted by dancing around trees

Acropolis · Archaeology · Environmental ethics · Geography · Humanity · Interdependence · Political science · Rock art · Social science · Sociology · Ancient Mediterranean Archaeology and History · Cyprus History, Politics, Society · History · Law · Maritime and Coastal Archaeology · Philosophy