Avoidance and resolution of conflict in societies without central power. Socio-theoretical models based on ethnographic evidence and their relevance in archaeology

由于考古资料的选择性，材料遗存不是不言自明的。为了避免对同时代社会因素的投射，对建国前社会的民族志记录进行评估是合理的。该项目调查民族志，重点是预防和解决暴力冲突的模式。自90年代中期以来，史前考古学已经放弃了“平静的过去”的概念，转而研究与冲突和暴力有关的现象。这种观点的转变不仅是由塔尔海姆或托伦瑟山谷的惊人发现所推动的，而且是由最近的人种学理论所推动的，这些理论假设了霍布斯式的敌意状态，即在没有中央权力的社会中。暴力冲突不被视为例外，而是史前生活的一个组成部分。把注意力集中在有效的暴力上，而忽视避免的暴力，导致对史前生活现实的暴力偏见产生误导。因此，该项目的目的是开发在没有中央权力的群体中处理暴力冲突的理论依据和基于经验的模型。随后，这些模型与考古解释、叙事和话语进行对比。采用比较方法，评估各群体如何防止暴力的爆发，或者如果出现暴力，如何在不同的升级程度上找到解决办法。其中一个重点是互惠结构的影响，包括积极和消极的形式。前者创造和维持一种和平的社会关系，后者则产生相互破坏的行为。另一个研究问题是物质文化在预防和解决冲突中的重要性。在文盲文化群体的社会记忆中，物体能表现出哪些记忆和视觉功能？它们被用于哪些实践？从方法论的角度来看，该项目结合了定性的、案例重构的研究设计和大量的案例。这允许超越个别案例研究的概括陈述，从而产生新的理论模型。

Due to the selective nature of archaeological data, material remains are not self-explanatory. In order to avoid the projection of contemporaneous societal elements, the evaluation of ethnographical records of pre-state societies is reasonable. The project investigates ethnographies with a focus on modes of prevention and resolution of violent conflicts. Since the Mid-Nineties, prehistoric archaeology has abandoned the concept of a “pacified past” and directed itself to the study of phenomena related to conflict and violence. This change of perspective was not only prompted by spectacular discoveries like those from Talheim or the Tollense Valley but also by recent ethnological theories postulating a Hobbesian condition of hostility in societies without central power. Violent conflicts are not seen as exceptions but as an integral component of prehistoric life. The concentration on effective violence whilst neglecting averted violence results in misleading violence-biased scenarios of prehistoric life reality. Therefore, the aim of the project is to develop theoretically informed and empirically based models of the handling of violent conflicts in groups without central power. Subsequently, these models are contrasted with archaeological interpretations, narratives, and discourses. Using a comparative approach it is evaluated how groups can prevent the outbreak of violence or, if emerging, to derive solutions at different escalation levels. One focus lies on the effects of reciprocal structures, both in their positive and negative forms. The former create and maintain a variant of peaceful social relations while the latter produces mutual destructive action. Another research question is the importance of material culture in conflict prevention and resolution. Which functions of memory and visualisation can objects represent in the social memory of illiterate cultural groups? What are the practices they are used in? From a methodological point of view, the project combines a qualitative, case reconstructive research design with a large number of cases. This allows generalised statements beyond individual case studies which can lead to new theoretical models.