Taryn Bell (York): "An archaeology of attachment: the power of social and emotional bonds".

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An archaeology of attachment: The power of social and emotional bonds
From the moment we’re born, humans are driven by an intense desire to seek out close bonds with those around us. This need for social and emotional connection is a key part of what makes us human, shaping our thoughts, behaviours and relationships. The psychological theory of attachment offers us a tantalising and yet underutilised framework with which to understand the link between the emotional and social. An archaeological framework of attachment allows us to integrate an understanding of how the emotional and social are imbued in and experienced through material culture, from sacred objects to everyday bits of ‘stuff’. 
 
In this talk, I’ll discuss how attachment theory can be a useful way of rethinking human bonds and material culture through time. Focusing on object attachment - our ability to become emotionally attached to certain objects - I’ll consider what attachment theory brings to archaeology, and how archaeology in turn can offer a deeper, more long-term understanding of human relationships.