Alexander Aston
Biographic Data
| ID | 375582 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Alexander Aston |
| GIVEN NAMES | Alexander |
| FAMILY NAME | Aston |
| SIGNATURE | ASTON A |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Oxford |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-6760-5547 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 4 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 6 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 4 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2020 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Rethinking the “we” in “we” intentionality: Intention-sharing with —and not simply about —things
This paper aims to place the general thesis for a species-unique “shared” or “we” intentionality, against the theoretical background of the material engagement approach. We will argue that the human ability to enact and share intentions rests upon a relational and participatory foundation of situated activity where intentional transactions between humans as well as between humans and things (in the broadest sense of material environment) are inse…
Critiquing the logics of prestige in the interpretation of Cycladic Figurines: Towards an archaeological theory of value
Cycladic figurines emerged through kinshipping practices and gifting dynamics. • Prestige frameworks reinforce liberal notions of individualism and commodity exchange. • The archaeology of value is hindered by a focus on abstract symbolism. • Materials afford and constrain the possibilities of action, interaction, and meaning making. • Material culture enables humans to create, share and transform concepts of value. This article applies the conce…
You can't perform the same ritual twice: Minds, Materials, Automobiles, and the Emergence of Form
Following Gosden and Malafouris, this article explores why process archaeology provides a beneficial framework for understanding the emergent, self-organising dynamics of human existence. To demonstrate the potential of process archaeology for reframing discourses about humanity's nature, this article examines automotive culture from evolutionary, ecological, developmental, and socio-political perspectives. Automobiles provide a robust example of…
How the Cycladic Islanders Found Their Marbles: Material Engagement, Social Cognition and the Emergence of Keros
This paper utilizes Material Engagement Theory (MET), which examines material culture as a dynamic and integral component of human cognitive systems, in order to explore the relationship between Cycladic marble sculpting and the complex social organization evinced at the sites of Dhaskalio and Kavos on the island of Keros. The article shows how the development of Cycladic sculpting in conjunction with transforming settlement patterns suggests tha…
How the Cycladic Islanders Found Their Marbles: Material Engagement, Social Cognition and the Emergence of Keros
This paper utilizes Material Engagement Theory (MET), which examines material culture as a dynamic and integral component of human cognitive systems, in order to explore the relationship between Cycladic marble sculpting and the complex social organization evinced at the sites of Dhaskalio and Kavos on the island of Keros. The article shows how the development of Cycladic sculpting in conjunction with transforming settlement patterns suggests tha…
You can't perform the same ritual twice: Minds, Materials, Automobiles, and the Emergence of Form
Following Gosden and Malafouris, this article explores why process archaeology provides a beneficial framework for understanding the emergent, self-organising dynamics of human existence. To demonstrate the potential of process archaeology for reframing discourses about humanity's nature, this article examines automotive culture from evolutionary, ecological, developmental, and socio-political perspectives. Automobiles provide a robust example of…
How the Cycladic Islanders Found Their Marbles: Material Engagement, Social Cognition and the Emergence of Keros
This paper utilizes Material Engagement Theory (MET), which examines material culture as a dynamic and integral component of human cognitive systems, in order to explore the relationship between Cycladic marble sculpting and the complex social organization evinced at the sites of Dhaskalio and Kavos on the island of Keros. The article shows how the development of Cycladic sculpting in conjunction with transforming settlement patterns suggests tha…
You can't perform the same ritual twice: Minds, Materials, Automobiles, and the Emergence of Form
Following Gosden and Malafouris, this article explores why process archaeology provides a beneficial framework for understanding the emergent, self-organising dynamics of human existence. To demonstrate the potential of process archaeology for reframing discourses about humanity's nature, this article examines automotive culture from evolutionary, ecological, developmental, and socio-political perspectives. Automobiles provide a robust example of…
Rethinking the “we” in “we” intentionality: Intention-sharing with —and not simply about —things
This paper aims to place the general thesis for a species-unique “shared” or “we” intentionality, against the theoretical background of the material engagement approach. We will argue that the human ability to enact and share intentions rests upon a relational and participatory foundation of situated activity where intentional transactions between humans as well as between humans and things (in the broadest sense of material environment) are inse…
Critiquing the logics of prestige in the interpretation of Cycladic Figurines: Towards an archaeological theory of value
Cycladic figurines emerged through kinshipping practices and gifting dynamics. • Prestige frameworks reinforce liberal notions of individualism and commodity exchange. • The archaeology of value is hindered by a focus on abstract symbolism. • Materials afford and constrain the possibilities of action, interaction, and meaning making. • Material culture enables humans to create, share and transform concepts of value. This article applies the conce…
Philosophy (4 works) · Anthropology (3 works) · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies (3 works) · History (3 works) · Psychology (3 works) · Sociology (3 works) · Archaeology (2 works) · Epistemology (2 works) · Language and cultural evolution (2 works) · Linguistics (2 works)