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'Haaland R, 2021: POTTERY, FEMALE IDENTITY, AND BEER
IN THE NEOLITHIC OF NORTHERN AFRICA:
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEER AS BOILED FOOD
FOR INFANTS. Anthropologie (Brno) 59, 3: 315-331'. |
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| Abstract | | I argue in this article for the importance of beer as boiled food in the early period after being weaned,
this would influence the survival rate of infants since the period after weaning is the most critical. Furthermore it is
suggested that cross-cultural similarities in metaphoric associations connecting female identity and beer is grounded
in pan-human experiences. Our first experience as a child is the body of the woman. Experiences connected with
change from breast feeding to pot-boiled food we think constitute a main factor underlying the common idea of
ceramic pot being like mother. The fundamental aspect of woman as a nurturer is emphasized – she produces milk
and food, with her own body and activities. The metaphorical associations are grounded in experiential structures
of meaning where the role of women as "the nurturer" is pronounced. Through food, social relations between people
can be expressed. Not only is eating food a bodily experience loaded with meaning that may be further elaborated
into standardized symbolism but the pots in which the food is cooked and served may have similar potential. A critical
element occurred when beer was substituted for mother's milk in the weaning process. Beer is sweet like mother's
milk and is easy to digest. It is reasonable that the nutritional advantages of introducing beer at in early stage had
far-reaching consequences stimulating increased engagement in cultivating activities leading to domestication of
cereals. | | | | Keywords | | Early Pottery – Women – Beer – Neolithic – Ethnography | | | | DOI | | https://doi.org/10.26720/anthro.21.09.20.1 | | |
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