BELL BEAKER STONE WRIST-GUARDS AS SYMBOLIC MALE ORNAMENT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CEREMONIAL WARFARE IN 3RD MILLENNIUM BC CENTRAL EUROPE

• Published in: The Bell Beaker Transition in Europe p. 28
• Main Author: Jan Turek
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Oxbow Books 31.10.2015
• Subjects: Ammunition; Anatomy; Anthropology; Applied anthropology; Applied sciences; Archaeology; Archery; Armed conflict; Arrows; Behavioral sciences; Biological sciences; Biology; Burial practices; Cemeteries; Communications; Cultural anthropology; Cultural customs; Earth sciences; Engineering; Extremities; Forearm; Geology; Graves; Industrial engineering; Joints; Leisure studies; Manufacturing engineering; Material culture; Military science; Mineralogy; Minerals; Musculoskeletal system; Physical sciences; Political science; Raw materials; Recreation; Semiotics; Social sciences; Sport shooting; Sports; Stone; Symbolism; Technology; Upper extremity; War; Warfare; Weapons; Wrist
• ISBN: 1782979271; 9781782979272

Human culture is deeply structured by a variety of symbols and rituals. Some artefacts of originally practical function might have gain prestigeous and symbolic meaning, especially in the time of introduction of important technological innovations or in the context of social ceremonies and warfare ritual activities. During the 3rd millennium BC warfare symbolism became extremely important in the representation of social power, status and gender categories. Weapons were presented during funerary ceremonials, as well as in the world of the living as symbolical attributes of power and prestige. Such signifying artefacts were also used during the ceremonial warfare contests in