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A Reinterpretation of Ukrainian apocryphal literature in chronotope
No full textThis article is devoted to the linguistic and cultural analysis of the regional peculiarities of Ukrainian apocryphal literature in the context of modern socio-cultural paradigms. Through the concepts of cultural code and intertextuality, the hypotheses that formed the paradigmatic basis of the study are substantiated: first, the apocryphon is a form of cultural code with an immanent semantic field that contains a system of code units (symbolism, allegory, parables, miracles, and apocalyptic images); and second, the apocrypha are open signs and symbolic systems in which texts with different cultural codes coexist. The intertextual relations within this system can then be interpreted as a dialogue of cultures.
In this paper, based on criteria such as historical context, confessional affiliation, language, and themes, the regional specificity of the apocrypha of Ukraine\u27s western and eastern regions is determined. Within the framework of the cultural communication theory, the regional peculiarities of transcoding the apocrypha text into a visual work (icons, frescoes) are revealed. The specifics of the spiritual and socio-cultural life of Ukraine\u27s western and eastern regions are explained. The study results show that each regional culture in Ukraine (whether western or eastern) is distinctive and valuable and has its own periods of progress and regression. This argument gives grounds for recognizing the multiplicity of independent but interconnected models of cultural development in Ukraine
Title Page and Inside Cover
No full textThis is the third issue of COMPASS: The Student Anthropology Journal of Alberta. This feature includes undergraduate, MA, and PhD research of students at the University of Alberta and spans sociocultural anthropology, archaeology, and linguistic anthropology-related themes.
One of the articles in this issue stems from award-winning research that was presented at the 29th Annual Richard Frucht Memorial Lecture Series and Student Conference (2023). Popovych (2023) was awarded the Second Place Prize for the Graduate Podium Presentation Category.
We would like to thank our staff and all submissions for their hard work and dedication allowing this issue to come to fruition.
Please send all editorial correspondence to [email protected]
There Is No Ukraine Without Salo: An Analysis of the Cultural and Social Significance of Salo in Ukraine
No full textSalo, or pork fat in Ukrainian, is a national delicacy and symbol of Ukrainian cuisine. The reason for its popularity is because of its ability to stay fresh for weeks, its taste, and the involved process of making it from scratch. Unfortunately, like many aspects of Ukrainian life, Russians and other oppressors have used the humble salo as a means to destroy and weaken Ukraine’s national character through the use of jokes. The paper will first analyze how pork fat has metamorphosed from its associations of poverty and peasantry to representations of folk traditions through a comparative analysis of the Italian lardo and salo. It will then examine how Ukrainians have twisted and repurposed Soviet jokes as a way to uplift their own ethnic identity while taunting their oppressors. Salo is more than just a piece of pork fat; it is an embodiment of Ukraine. As one might say, “There is no Ukraine without salo.
Agricultural Origins: A Comparative Analysis of the Physical & Cultural Consequences Arising from the Introduction of Agriculture into Prehistoric South America and the Island of Ireland.
No full textThe Andean region of South America and the island of Ireland both adopted agriculture in wildly divergent manners, leaving distinct marks on their individual cultures. This study presents an overview of the contrast in agricultural adoption (that is, plant and animal domestication) in both the Andes and Ireland, as well as the subsequent respective cultural effects of those adoption techniques. In order to properly understand this relationship, certain factors must first be examined, specifically the available environmental resources at the onset of human occupation in each region, followed by the early experimentation with local resources leading to plant and animal domesticates, and concluding with a cultural analysis of each locale in the wake of agricultural adoption. Both regions began in similar landscapes, offering ample coastal and terrestrial resources for their respective nomadic settlers. While the Andes gradually developed their plant and animal domesticates independently, Ireland abruptly adopted Eurasian-born systems and adjusted their cultural trajectory along this alternative path. By comparing these two agricultural histories, an immense cache of traditions and diversities come to light backed by archaeological discoveries and decades of scientific work in both regions, overall illustrating how past agricultural traditions have a meerdirect and immense influence on finer cultural structure
Stone Tools and Our Primate Relatives: A Comparative Analysis with Human Lithics and Predictions for the Future
No full textWithin three millennia, capuchins appear to have made substantial progress in their use of stones relative to other living non-human primates, including the great apes. The rapid evolution of capuchin tool use can help us better understand unclear aspects of our own evolutionary journey; it can also inform us of the decisions we may have to make regarding how we will share our planet with this primate in the future. However, no prior literature has comparatively examined capuchin and human lithics within naturalistic contexts to subsequently tackle the issues of pre-Clovis validity and future capuchin stone use. Therefore, I first review secondary data on the lithic items that capuchins have been interacting with over the last 3000 years in the first section of this paper. Subsequently, I discuss the similarities between present-day capuchin-made lithics and human flintknapping attributes. Essentially, capuchins have become proficient in the motor-skills required to detach flakes from stones in a manner somewhat similar to Oldowan hominins. However, capuchins do not modify these flakes; they use them expediently as a source of mineral nutrition or as hammerstones for percussion activities. In the second section of this paper, I examine literature related to archaeologically controversial sites that supposedly suggest human presence in the Americas predating 12,000 years ago. In particular, I compare capuchin lithics with secondary data from one Mexican site and one Brazilian site to argue whether the stone items at the two sites were made by: 1) neotropical primates; or 2) the forces of nature. Based on my discussion of capuchin lithic activities from past to present, I make a conjecture in the final section of this paper that the right set of conditions could enable modern capuchins to potentially begin intentionally detaching flakes for tool use over the next few centuries
Corinthian Pyxis: A Relative Dating and Contextual Analysis of Origin
No full textPyxide jars are not uncommon to excavate, as they were standard possessions of women throughout a significant portion of ancient Greece. However, the pyxis jar on display at the W.G. Hardy Classics Museum in Edmonton, Alberta, is suggested to be from a time period that is limited in terms of comparable pyxides. The W.G. Hardy Classics Museum gives no explanation as to where the pyxis jar was contextually found beyond originating from Corinth, and an estimation of being produced sometime within the seventh–sixth century BC. This article narrows the suggested time of production from the two-hundred-year period, as claimed by the museum, to specifically the Early Corinthian period, through a process of relative dating, as Corinth was becoming the production centre for pottery during the time within ancient Greece. Through an analysis of the physical condition, artistic motifs, and comparable pyxides, we are able to ascertain the particular context in which it would have been found, in addition to the timeframe of production, and the likely tools used through the manufacturing process
Utilising Mythopoetic Paradigms for Subverting Prescriptive Linguistic Colonial Supremacies: An Analysis of EZLN\u27s Mythopoetic Discursive Tactics in Post-Colonial Praxis
No full textPost-colonial scholars often confront the dual nature of colonial languages. While these languages provide pivotal communication avenues, especially for diverse marginalized groups like certain Indigenous communities, they simultaneously embody colonial biases, making them challenging mediums for emancipatory discourse. This paper proposes mythopoeticism to leverage the extensive reach of such languages, circumventing their constructive norms. We spotlight this through the prism of the Chiapas Mesoamerican communities\u27 mythopoetics during the 1994 National Army of Zapatista Liberation (EZLN) uprising. This investigation aims to enrich contemporary post-colonial thought, presenting Mesoamerican perspectives on mythopoetics as a dynamic instrument for post-colonial dialogue. The discussion first examines the formative influence of colonial languages on meaning and power dynamics. It then transitions to a detailed textual analysis of the Zapatista mythopoetic narratives. Lastly, it considers the assimilation of Mesoamerican insights into current post-colonial frameworks, endorsing mythopoetics as a rejuvenated mechanism for post-colonial endeavors
Prominent Methods and Theories in the Estimation of Body Mass from Skeletal Remains
No full textEstimating body mass from skeletal remains is considered a gap in the creation of a biological profile. Over the last few decades, there have been attempts to fill this gap using different elements from the skeleton. Using various academic databases, a study was done to investigate the prominent methods and theories in body mass estimation. These methods include the use of the femur, the articular surfaces, and the interpretation of musculoskeletal stress markers at the entheses. Calculations using the femur found success in adults most prominently when the cortical area is used. The cortical area provided a percent error margin of 14–22%, with the error decreasing when sex and ancestry-specific equations were used. Musculoskeletal stress markers correlated with heavier body mass in various regions when looking at robusticity. However, these results could not be distinguished between higher body mass individuals and athletic individuals. The articular surface area exhibited no change when body mass is considered, although other features such as osteoarthritis can potentially provide insight into body mass. In addition, subadult femurs were investigated and provided error percentages of 5–7% for juveniles 7 years and younger, and the bi-iliac breadth with long bones can be used for those 15–17 years old with an error margin of 5–8%. These methods exhibit limitations in the demographics of the study, the lack of weight extremely investigated, and various confounding factors. However, these methods and theories in body mass estimations from skeletal remains provide a promising start
Ride, Ride, Ride, Let It Ride: Pathological Lesions in Horse Skeletons Related to Riding.
No full textThe last 30 years have seen researchers working towards determining the earliest date of domestication for the horse (E. caballus), using osteological and pathological changes to a horse’s skeleton to infer evidence for riding—a key signature of domestication. This article provides an investigation and evaluation of the methods used, testing them on the skeletal remains of 12 horses of unknown provenience and history from Alberta, Canada. These methods include studies on the skull (cranium and mandible), the dentition (teeth), the spine, and the metapodials (lower leg bones). Overall, three of the horses exhibit osteological changes consistent with riding, three have ambiguous results, and the remaining six do not show sufficient changes. The limitations of the methods, the collections, and those of the researcher, are discussed in relation to the findings
Body Farms: A Field of Opportunity
No full textHuman Taphonomic Facilities (HTF)—or as they are more commonly known, body farms—have grown in number since the first facility opened in 1980. As recognition of their utility grows, it is worth reconsidering their origins in light of the generative value they provide and the challenges yet to overcome. This paper examines the first HTF in depth, tracing how it came about and the advances it has made to the field of forensics. I address the ethical implications that body farms pose, but also the solutions they have to offer.