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ANT The Archaeology of Sports

Dr. Prieto

In this class, we are going to explore the origins and development of present-day sport disciplines as different civilizations around the world created them for entertainment but also as part of political and religious endeavors to control social behavior. From the well-known Olympic Games in ancient Greece, the Ball-Game in ancient Mexico, the sumo in Japan, or the Native-American lacrosse, this class will study their origins and historical development. What is the relationship between the origins of human complexity and sports? To what extent did sports play a significant role in the ideological and political configuration of social organization and power in ancient societies? Here, we will learn how, in the past, as well as today, individual or collective physical and mental effort is celebrated by multitudes.