Exam 2 Flashcards
hoe agriculture (horticulture)
-gender role diversity
-labor limited: labor is highly valued
how is gender viewed in horticultural society?
women are valued for their contribution, bride price was paid by groom to compensate family for loss of her work
plough agriculture
-plough + draft animals= more crop yield
-land-limited economy
how is gender viewed in plough agriculture?
women become less involved b/c they have to process grain and it is harder to do heavy work when raising a child, women become economic liabilities
how does infant care shift after farming?
hand feeding infants milk or grain allowed more freedom, breast-feeding less so there is no lactational amenorrhea
Neolithic effect on weaning and birth spacing
rapid increase with deity shift to grains and permanent sedentism
why are women fertile if diet is bad?
carbs aka grain provide empty calories for female hormone production
Importance of Catalhoyuk site
female figurines were discovered here, peaceful and equal in terms of gender in society
why is Marija Gimbutas so important in archaeology/women’s studies?
Her theory on Old Europe were first to suggest large civilizations were peaceful and egalitarian, essentially people were doing art, dancing, celebrating and artistic expression is woven into spiritual beliefs
examples of “Old Europe”
Cucuteni-Trypillia culture and Stracevo culture
who is link to the downfall of peaceful goddess societies according to Gimbutas?
overrun by Russian invaders called the Kurgans
Minoan civilization
Middle Bronze Age, 3100-1100 BC
Defined by bulls, goddesses, double-axes, mountain top shrine, and animals, trade links with mainland, Egypt and Near East
what do scholars think palatial palaces are for?
communal spaces or shortage spaces
what do palatial palaces tell us about gender?
-developed from joining together matrilineal clans
-murals/seals show women in central public position
-clay figurines focus on women’s health
-social fluidity could extend into gender fluidity
what are labrys? why are they only shown with females?
double axes, could symbolized divinity?
what are peak sanctuaries?
widespread open-air sanctuaries found high in mountains that have animal clay figurines
Example: Petsofas: hundreds of anatomical votive offerings, many are weasels
why were weasels made as votive offerings?
weasel are connected to midwife goddesses and oxytocic “quick birth” substance when women takes liquid that flows from the uterus of a weasel
what other animals are associated with midwifery at peak sanctuaries?
tortoises: associated with fertility, used in Hippocratic Corpus to stimulate postpartum lochia discharge
dogs and puppies: dog milk used to expel fetus, dog milk and placenta facilitate childbirth
what 2 animals were used often to stimulate lactation?
puppies and piglets
Who is Eileithyia?
pre-Hellenic goddess of childbirth who hindered or facilitated birth process according to her mood, worshipped during Neolithic to Roman times
What is the snake goddess in Crete likely linked to?
Midwifery and mother goddess
Medicines associated with midwifery
dittany: herbal drug
opium poppy: connected to cultic activities, poppy goddess as well
saffron: relieve menstruation issues and pain, “sunshine herb”
Linear B tablets on women
majority of servile low-status women documented 750/900 were listed as slave women
Kourotrophos
means “child nurturer,” figurines depicted nursing on left breast, emphasis on women’s roles in domestic sphere
what was the role of upper class Greek women?
reproducers of wealth by maintaining home and slaves b/c they had no political rights and controlled by men at every stage of their lives
gynaeceum
portion of house reserved for women, usually innermost part of building