This fascinating study explores how our prehistoric ancestors developed ritualsfrom everyday life and domestic activities. Richard Bradley contends that formuch... » 

This fascinating study explores how our prehistoric ancestors developed ritualsfrom everyday life and domestic activities. Richard Bradley contends that formuch of the prehistoric period ritual was not a distinct sphere of activity.Rather it was the way in which different features of the domestic world wereplayed out until they took on qualities of theatrical performance.With extensive illustrated casestudies this book examines farming craftproduction and the occupation of houses all of which were ritualized inprehistoric Europe. Successive chapters discuss the ways in which ritual hasbeen studied drawing on a series of examples that range from Greece to Norwayand from Romania to Portugal. They consider practices that extend from theMesolithic period to the Early Middle Ages and discuss the ways in which ritualand domestic life were intertwined. «