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Conceptualizing Time in Archaeology: A Study of the Igbo of Nigeria

Received: 25 October 2018    Accepted: 20 November 2018    Published: 26 December 2018
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Abstract

Archaeologists are very concerned with chronology and the measurement of time especially as it affects linear time. This is because all archaeological finds are usually dated, so that they can have lasting significance. In a bid to bring stability and sagacity to the archaeological practice, archaeologists have extensively employed the use of chronology, frequently using agreed measures of time to construct prehistory. However the concept of time in indigenous communities is a far cry from “time” as observed by professional archaeologists. The objective of this study is to to determine the historical awareness of cultures and indigenous people and examine their characteristic way of observing time, which is indicative of their peculiar philosophy of life. For this study, the methodology used was the ethnographic research approach, which involved in-depth interviews. To achieve this objective, purposive judgemental sampling method was used to guarantee that a definite class of knowledgeable people are represented in the study. Using the Nkwerre indigenous society as a case study, the results of this research demonstrate that the application of time is culture bound. The event is more important than the actual time it took place. It is concluded that Western societies have a different assessment of time as opposed to non-Western societies. This paper is therefore, an analytical reflection on how the Igbo of Nigeria perceive time.

DOI 10.11648/j.ash.20180405.11
Published in Advances in Sciences and Humanities (Volume 4, Issue 5, October 2018)
Page(s) 62-67
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Culture, Indigenous, Concept, Chronology, Calendar

References
[1] Bradley, R. (1991) Ritual, time and history. World Archaeology, 23: 209-19.
[2] Clark, G. (1992) Space, Time and Man: A Prehistorian’s View. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[3] Connerton, P. (1998) How Societies Remember. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[4] Durkheim, E. (1915) The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life. London: Allen and Unwin.
[5] Eze-Uzomaka, P. I. (2000) Museums, Archaeologists and Indigenous People: Archaeology and the public in Nigeria. BAR International Series 904. Oxford: Basingstoke Press.
[6] Gell, A. (1992) The Anthropology of Time: Cultural Constructions of Temporal Maps and Images. Berg, Providence.
[7] Gingrich, A., Ochs, E. and A. Swedlund (2002) Repertoires of Timekeeping in Anthropology. Current Anthropology 43 (4): S3-S4.
[8] Gosden, C. (1994) Social Being and Time. Oxford: Blackwell.
[9] Holdaway, S. and L. Wandsnider (2008) Time in Archaeology: An Introduction. Anthropology Faculty Publications. University of Auckland and University of Nebraska – Lincoln.
[10] Karlsson, H. (2001) It's about Time: The Concept of Time in Archaeology. Bricoleur Press, Goteborg.
[11] Leach, E. R. (1954) Primitive Time-Reckoning. A History of Primitive Technology. London: Oxford University Press: 110-27.
[12] Leach, E. R. (1961) Two essays concerning the symbolic representation of time. In E. R. Leach (ed.) Rethinking Anthropology. London. Atlone: 124-36.
[13] Leach, E. R. (1969) Genesis as Myth and Other Essays. London: Jonathan Cape.
[14] Mbiti, J. (1969) African Religions and Philosophy. London: Heinemann.
[15] Munn, N. D. (1992) The Cultural Anthropology of Time: A Critical Essay. Annual Review of Anthropology, 21: 93-123.
[16] Piggott, S. (1959) Approach to Archaeology. London: A and C Black.
Author Information
  • Department of Archaeology and Tourism, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria

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    Pamela Ifeoma Eze-Uzomaka. (2018). Conceptualizing Time in Archaeology: A Study of the Igbo of Nigeria. Advances in Sciences and Humanities, 4(5), 62-67. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ash.20180405.11

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    Pamela Ifeoma Eze-Uzomaka. Conceptualizing Time in Archaeology: A Study of the Igbo of Nigeria. Adv. Sci. Humanit. 2018, 4(5), 62-67. doi: 10.11648/j.ash.20180405.11

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    AMA Style

    Pamela Ifeoma Eze-Uzomaka. Conceptualizing Time in Archaeology: A Study of the Igbo of Nigeria. Adv Sci Humanit. 2018;4(5):62-67. doi: 10.11648/j.ash.20180405.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ash.20180405.11,
      author = {Pamela Ifeoma Eze-Uzomaka},
      title = {Conceptualizing Time in Archaeology: A Study of the Igbo of Nigeria},
      journal = {Advances in Sciences and Humanities},
      volume = {4},
      number = {5},
      pages = {62-67},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ash.20180405.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ash.20180405.11},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ash.20180405.11},
      abstract = {Archaeologists are very concerned with chronology and the measurement of time especially as it affects linear time. This is because all archaeological finds are usually dated, so that they can have lasting significance. In a bid to bring stability and sagacity to the archaeological practice, archaeologists have extensively employed the use of chronology, frequently using agreed measures of time to construct prehistory. However the concept of time in indigenous communities is a far cry from “time” as observed by professional archaeologists. The objective of this study is to to determine the historical awareness of cultures and indigenous people and examine their characteristic way of observing time, which is indicative of their peculiar philosophy of life. For this study, the methodology used was the ethnographic research approach, which involved in-depth interviews. To achieve this objective, purposive judgemental sampling method was used to guarantee that a definite class of knowledgeable people are represented in the study. Using the Nkwerre indigenous society as a case study, the results of this research demonstrate that the application of time is culture bound. The event is more important than the actual time it took place. It is concluded that Western societies have a different assessment of time as opposed to non-Western societies. This paper is therefore, an analytical reflection on how the Igbo of Nigeria perceive time.},
     year = {2018}
    }
    

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    AB  - Archaeologists are very concerned with chronology and the measurement of time especially as it affects linear time. This is because all archaeological finds are usually dated, so that they can have lasting significance. In a bid to bring stability and sagacity to the archaeological practice, archaeologists have extensively employed the use of chronology, frequently using agreed measures of time to construct prehistory. However the concept of time in indigenous communities is a far cry from “time” as observed by professional archaeologists. The objective of this study is to to determine the historical awareness of cultures and indigenous people and examine their characteristic way of observing time, which is indicative of their peculiar philosophy of life. For this study, the methodology used was the ethnographic research approach, which involved in-depth interviews. To achieve this objective, purposive judgemental sampling method was used to guarantee that a definite class of knowledgeable people are represented in the study. Using the Nkwerre indigenous society as a case study, the results of this research demonstrate that the application of time is culture bound. The event is more important than the actual time it took place. It is concluded that Western societies have a different assessment of time as opposed to non-Western societies. This paper is therefore, an analytical reflection on how the Igbo of Nigeria perceive time.
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