In Things we Trust: Hybridity and the Borders of Categorization in Archaeology

Abstract

The aim of the article is to question essentialist con- structions of archaeological cultures with the help of Homi K. Bhabha’s concept of hybridity. Using house urns found in central and northern Europe as a case study, Bhabha’s hybridity concept is presented and discussed as an alternative to traditional archaeolog- ical concepts of cultural interpretation. Hybridity, which is also a key concept in postcolonial theory, offers an alternative key to the interpretation of cul- ture and suggests that no culture should be seen as static and homogeneous. The common understanding of house urns is therefore informed and challenged by the concept of hybridity, its alternative construction of culture and alternative ways to understand arte- facts. Inspired by the concept of hybridity, I argue that house urns deserve much broader interpretations than as mere manifestations of cultural difference or cultural belonging.

Keywords

• house urns
• postcolonial theory
• materiality