Elizabeth Dewing (University of Southampton; ead106@soton.ac.uk) and Barry Taylor (University of Manchester; barry.taylor1@manchester.ac.uk)

Challenging the relationship between people and their environment was a key principle in the development of post-Processualism and its critique of New Archaeology. But whilst the overtly deterministic and functionalist nature of this relationship was quickly rejected, alternative approaches to environmental archaeology have been slow to develop, particularly in comparison to material culture studies and landscape archaeology.

Whilst the relationship between people and their environment has emerged as an object of study (e.g. Ingold 2000), the integration of palaeo-environmental data into discussions of peoples perception of their world has been less successful. Approaches to landscape, for example, have highlighted the relationship between monuments and the surrounding topography (e.g. Tilley 1994; Cummins 2002) and, to some extent, vegetation (e.g. Cummins & Whittle 2003) but with little critical use of environmental data (see Chapman & Geary 2000 for a short critique of phenomenology and environmental archaeology). Where such material has been used critically, (e.g. Conneller 2004 for an interpretation of red deer bone and antler), it has provided new and interesting perspectives on the relationships between people and the environment.

The aim of this session is to review current approaches to human-environment relationships during early prehistory. In particular the session will address four main themes. First, how palaeo-environmental data can be better incorporated into interpretive landscape studies. Second, the relationship between material practices and the environment. Third, the relationship between people and animals. Fourth, whether people’s perception of the environment changed from the Mesolithic to the Neolithic or whether this is the result of our own preconceptions of hunter-gatherers. We welcome contributions from all those with an interest in the environment, whether this is from a palaeo-ecological or interpretive perspective.

Chapman, H & Gearey, B. R 2000 Palaeoecology and the perception of prehistoric landscapes: some comments on visual approaches to phenomenology Antiquity 74:284 pp316-319
Conneller, C 2004 Becoming deer. Corporeal transformations at Star Carr Archaeological Dialogues 11 (1): 37–56
Cummings, V 2002 Between Mountains and Sea: a Reconsideration of the Neolithic Monuments of South-west Scotland. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society, 68: 125-146
Cummings, V & Whittle, A 2003 Tombs with a view: landscape, monuments and trees Antiquity 77. 296: 255-266
Ingold, T 2000 The Perception of the Environment: Essays on Livelihood, Dwelling and Skill: Essays in Livelihood, Dwelling and Skill London: Routledge
Tilley, C 1994 A Phenomenology of Landscape, Places, Paths and Monuments. Oxford: Berg