Burials, Houses, Women and men in the European Neolithic Essay

Burials, Houses, Women and men in the European Neolithic - Essay Example Hence their processual approach to understanding the meaning and importance of these megalith structures still remains unproven. Amid these competing claims and counterclaims regarding the monoliths, Ian Hodder seeks to adopt a more robust framework of analysis for interpreting the importance and functions of these ancient structures. Ian Hodder identifies the different forms of tombs and houses by the differences apparent in their architectural styles and construction techniques. The long houses and long burial mounds are given special attention, for these structures are spread across continental Europe, spanning modern day Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Neatherlands and beyond. Based on the shape, size, location, orientation and the likely human population at the time of their construction, the author arrives at the most likely historical and anthropological significance of these structures. While long houses, long burial mounds and tombs are found all across Europe, no two structures are identical. In fact, the uniqueness associated with each of these archaological sites are what give their broader indication. The other task the author carries out is to ascertain the social and interpersonal implication of these structures. Determining the relation of long houses and tombs with respect to their surrounding environment is much easier when compared to finding the social interactions within these ancient spaces of living. This is so because the monoliths have withstood the passage of time while the smaller sized household utilities such as pottery, objects that served as furniture and food leftovers have largely been destroyed by the elements. As a result it is very difficult to estimate the number of people who took shelter in these houses, their relation to one another and what other function did these houses serve? Nevertheless, the author tries