Chaîne opératoire in a relational consideration of epistemology, body knowledge, and embodied cognition

Abstract

Understanding historical bodies in ancient Egypt requires us to be aware of how we might misinterpret our sources based on how we, embedded in our present-day society, think about the body. By considering the relations between epistemology, body knowledge, and embodied cognition we can trace our own preconceptions when we seek to understand the ancient understanding of the body. Epistemology, the way we gain knowledge about the world and consider some types of knowledge valid, while others are classified as beliefs or opinions, influences how we assess knowing. Body knowledge is the capability of making complicated and deeply rooted movements, as mastered by, among others, makers, dancers, musicians, caretakers, cooks, and athletes. In present day society, body knowledge is often undervalued, or not even considered 'knowledge'. The root of valuing the mind over the body may be the split between body and mind (generally known as 'Cartesian dualism'). The third element in this relationship, embodied cognition, foregrounds the interaction with the environment and the importance of the senses in how we know and understand the world. The full-body sensation of touch, knowing which movements to make, how much strength to use, how to shift weight and point of gravity, is essential to all our movements and learning to be in the world. Studying the ancient body from archaeological remains requires an approach that allows us to reconstruct the interactions of material, environment and bodies. In the discussion, I explore the value and limitations of a chaîne opératoire approach to consider the ancient body from an embodied epistemology by emphasizing the person who did, rather than the process or the result of doing.