Gender and medieval archaeology: storming the castle

Dempsey, Karen

doi:10.15184/aqy.2019.13

Cited by 16 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 57 publications

(57 reference statements)

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“…Within castle studies, discussions concentrate on establishing ownership, patronage and control: male space, authority and power versus female space and seclusion (see Dempsey 2019 for discussion; Johnson 2002). Gendered studies have demonstrated that certain patterning, such as the spatial alignment of the chamber and garden, may indicate areas of pronounced female agency in terms of movement, access and design (Gilchrist 1999; Richardson 2003).…”

Section: Medieval Women and Gardensmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nevertheless, it remains the case that much of medieval European society was male-dominated. This creates a problem relating to visibility, which is compounded by the lack of questions addressing gender within modern archaeological practice (Dempsey 2019; Dempsey et al 2020). Does this influence how we tell stories of women's lives at medieval castles?…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Tending the ‘Contested’ Castle Garden: Sowing Seeds of Feminist Thought

Dempsey

2021

CAJ

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Medieval women are typically portrayed as secluded, passive agents within castle studies. Although the garden is regarded as associated with women there has been little exploration of this space within medieval archaeology. In this paper, a new methodological framework is used to demonstrate how female agency can be explored in the context of the lived experience of the medieval garden. In particular, this study adopts a novel approach by focusing on relict plants at some medieval castles in Britain and Ireland. Questions are asked about the curation of these plants and the associated social practices of elite women, including their expressions of material piety, during the later medieval period. This provides a way of questioning the ‘sacrality’ of medieval gardening which noblewomen arguably used as a devotional practice and as a means to further their own bodily agency through sympathetic medicine.

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Section: Medieval Women and Gardensmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tending the ‘Contested’ Castle Garden: Sowing Seeds of Feminist Thought

Dempsey

2021

CAJ

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“…Dempsey (2019) is even more emphatic. The marginalization of feminist archaeologies “in a time of global feminist activism, encapsulated by movements such as ‘#MeToo’ and ‘TimesUp,’ ‘Everyday Sexism Project,’ ‘Repealthe8th’ and ‘Musawah’ … demonstrates that archaeology is behind the times and needs to respond to contemporary global and intersectional feminist voices” (772).…”

Section: We Toomentioning

confidence: 99%

Confronting the Present: Archaeology in 2019

Rosenzweig

2020

American Anthropologist

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Postmodernity has a distinctly pre‐apocalyptic feel to it, and this feeling has seeped into archaeology. A review of the scholarship from 2019 attests that archaeologists are having to reckon with present‐day conditions and phenomena as they structure their research, delineate the material world, and affirm archaeology's relevance. Furthermore, these concerns have moved from the realm of the rarely spoken and come to constitute a critical conversation in the field. In a number of respects, the contours of archaeology now hinge upon the discipline's responses to developments in real time, including: How can archaeological knowledge production escape the logistical and epistemological bounds of late capitalism and its failures? Can archaeology contribute to future‐building, and what would that look like? Does archaeology have to be scholar‐activism to achieve the goal of making the past matter (to whom) (for what)? [archaeology, contemporary archaeology, future archaeology, current issues]

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“…Despite progress towards a modernised, critical discourse of castle-studies, medieval people still remain absent(ed) from discussions (Dempsey 2019). Where people are acknowledged as having been present, it is usually a story of one lord or knight who represents the embodiment of (modern) masculinityimplicitly lauded for his bodily prowess, or appreciated for wielding male power, both economic and political (Johnson 2002;Creighton and Wright 2017;O'Keeffe 2015).…”

Section: Castle-studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Beyond the martial façade: gender, heritage and medieval castles

Dempsey

Gilchrist

Ashbee

et al. 2019

International Journal of Heritage Studies

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Gendered interpretations are rare both within castle-studies and heritage discourses on medieval castles. Yet, castles hold potential to inform multi-vocal accounts of the medieval past and to inspire meaningful heritage interpretations to achieve greater societal impact. This article explores the role that gender currently plays in interpretations of medieval castles in Britain, supported by three case-studies written by heritage professionals. The enduring narrative of militarism at medieval castles sites is discussed, together with issues of authenticity in relation to the historical record, which is in itself biased and inherently gendered. Outcomes from a collaborative workshop highlight the need to address interpretative issues where gender is considered to equate to 'making women visible'. Finally, we pose the question: What makes a 'good gendered interpretation' at a public heritage site?

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Gender and medieval archaeology: storming the castle

Abstract: Abstract

Cited by 16 publications

References 57 publications

Tending the ‘Contested’ Castle Garden: Sowing Seeds of Feminist Thought

Tending the ‘Contested’ Castle Garden: Sowing Seeds of Feminist Thought

Confronting the Present: Archaeology in 2019

Beyond the martial façade: gender, heritage and medieval castles

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