The Affect of Relating. On thingly humans and humanly things
Channel: Recording Archaeology
Date: 2021-02-03

The fundamental truth about things is that in things we recognize ourselves. Things are defined by their humanness, and their partaking in humanity is what separates them from the brute materials of nature. The difference between a manuport stone and a pebble or a stone hammer and a boulder is their relations to humans, and thus their affect, as all relations are affective. Yet, from what perspective can things said to be human? Some would claim that it is based on the human cognition and intellect that is reflected in their conception, design, production and use, whereas other would emphasize their valuing and meaning, i.e. their symbolism. With the rise of New Materialism, the focus shifted towards the ontology of things and how they relate through their material qualities, endowing them not only with affect but agency as well.


In this paper I aim at addressing things and their different guises in order to understand the various ways in which things relate and how thingly relations affect. The focus of my talk centres upon different kinds of material culture archives, be that the archaeological record, museum exhibits or probate inventories, asking question like: In what way are things from the various archives the same or how are they different? And, does that sameness or difference affect their relationality?


 Kristján Mímisson, University of Iceland, Iceland