Strata of Practice: Habitus and issues in the early Cypriot Neolithic
Strata of Practice: Habitus and issues in the early Cypriot Neolithic

Summary/Abstract: Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of habitus defines how culturally constructed space can be a structuring agency, as well as an arena of human practice. Due to the key position of architecture in the operating of the habitus it becomes possible to trace transformations in modes of objectifying reality and gross form of action taken within this reality in an archaeological context. Here these concepts will be deployed to evaluate question of origins of early aceramic farming communities of Cyprus (Cypro-PPNB), and their later transformation into the isolated Khirokitia culture, through the analysis of the site of Kalavassos – Tenta. Two distinct streams of behaviour were noted on site – an early phase of creating an objectified, shared reality and a later phase of increase in manipulation of this reality. Based on that it is hypothesized that the early settlement was conducted by settlers from various mainland regions surrounding Cyprus and resulted in a period of establishing a shared cultural matrix. This hypothesis is backed by an increasing amount of empirical data. The isolationism of the later Khirokhitia culture is suggested to come as a result of increased discourse within the island leading to loss of interest in contact with the mainland and hence the development of specifically local cultural forms. This is supported? by circumstantial evidence of increased cultural activity in the late Cypro-PPNB.

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