Ancient Egypt Midterm I

Chronology of Ancient Egypt

Predynastic

Dynastic

Ptolomaic (Greek)

Roman

Johan Huizinga

Badass anti-nazi scholar, interested in cultural/social history at a time when "facts" and "dates" were all the rage

Homo Ludens

Book by Johan Huizinga; Introduces play as a cultural phenomenon ie play is part of cultural history

Homo Ludens (Meaning)

The man who plays!

What is human culture by nature, according to Johan Huizinga?

Ludic!

Definition of Play according to Johan Huizinga

Free and voluntary activity performed outside of ordinary life

Characteristics of Play according to Johan Huizinga

1. To act as if (seriousness is fluid)

2. Satisfying in and of itself

3. Localized in Time and Space

4. Fixed rules that are freely accepted and absolutely binding

5. tension and joy from uncertainty and repeatibility of games

Roger Callois

French literary critic, sociologist, linguist. Engaged in anti-fascist political activity and also touted western exceptionalism. Developed theory of games

Man, Play, and Games

Book by Roger Callois. Classifies game into four distinct categoriess

Categories of Games according to Roger Callois

1. Agon (Competition)

2. Alea (Chance)

3. Mimicry (Simulation)

4. Ilinx (Vertigo)

Agon

Competition. Desire to be recognized for excellence, implies sustained attention, training, and will to win

Alea

Game category, Chance. Purely arbitrary games in which everyone is equal (eg throwing dice)

Mimicry

Game category, Simulation. Player takes on role, makes others believe player becomes somebody different (eg theater)

Ilinx

Game category, Vertigo. activities allowed to reach a certain degree of physical dizziness, fun is in doing things that are normally forbidden (eg traveling carnivals)

Game Attitudes

1. Paidia (Children)

2. Ludus (Play)

Paidia

Game attitude, Children. Games that are more turbulent, spontaneous, playing without rules

Ludus

Game attitude, play. Games that are more regulated, have conventions, more adult-like

Roberte Hamayon

French anthropologist, girlboss, studied principally Buryat people and Siberian Shamanism. Contributed greatly to theory of play, extended concept of play beyond games, included rituals, theater, dance, and combat sports.

Play according to Hamayan

Hamayan revises the Western notion of unproductivity of playing games, discusses ambiguity between fiction and reality with notion of fictional frame (to act as if). Play is a way to have power on luck and fate (indeterminacy), promote social interaction and emotional ties, and regulated activities (rites)

Hunting the Soul

Book by Roberte Hamayon, deals with Siberian Shamanismm and the symbolic good made accessible by playing/games. Lays foundation for Why We Play

Why We Play

Groundbreaking essay by Roberte Hamayon. Discusses, play as specific way of acting/doing, defines characteristics of play (common across all human societies, ambiguity between fiction and reality, power over luck and fate)

Stewart Culin

North American Ethnographer, studied indigenous north american and eastern populations. Considered by some to interpret things through biased, western lens. Introduces concept that games demonstrate strong bond between culture and myth, and games are excellent means of studyng interactions between cultures and societies

Louis Aime Becq de Fouquieres

French, self taught, wrote Games of the Ancients, special interest in child games and toys

Irving Finkel

Organized international conference, 1990 Ancient Board Games Perspective. Determined rules of The Royal Game of Ur, mesopotamian game also present in Egypt

Locus Ludi

European research study, 2017 granted 2.5 million dollars, created by Professor Veronique Dasem. Study textual, archaelogical, image sources in context, wanted to show how games reflect social construction of society, how participate in construction