Humanity and Animality

Abstract

Humanity and animality are concepts that refer to a particular understanding of the different natures of different kinds of beings—humans as one unit and animals as another. Brief definitions of the concepts follow, prior to a broad discussion of the ramifications of the understanding of these terms to academia and contextualizing what these terms might mean to archaeology. The terms refer to perceptions of the nature of different beings. However, recent advances in science have challenged the traditional understanding of humanity and animality, by studying animal cognition, sentience, and emotions. Some implications that are relevant to archaeology are considered: First, whether there is a difference in kind or in degree between humans and animals. Second, variability in the ontological rationales of different societies will define humans and animals in diverse ways. Third, societies grow out of human and nonhuman–animal interactions and it is therefore useful to understand animals as themselves. Human–animal studies is suggested as a useful approach to study multi‐species processes in past societies.

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