RITUAL, TIME AND HISTORY

It is often claimed that studies of social evolution are impeded by the limits of resolution imposed by the prehistoric time scale. This paper distinguishes between the mundane time and ritual time, contending that public ritual often develops at a different pace from everyday existence. That makes it more amenable to study by archaeological methods. Whilst ritual systems may be rooted in the past, however, their operation often sheds light on changing social and political circumstances. The argument is illustrated by the development of Stonehenge. © 1991 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.