Dernhelm or Éowyn: An examination of the gender bias in Italian Archaeology

This master’s thesis considers the interaction of gender bias in the area of Iron Age archaeology of Italy. An overview of feminist, gender, and mortuary archaeology provides the methodological framework for the assessment of how gender roles are analyzed and written about in Italian archaeology as well as select sites and case studies from the Eurasian steppes, Eastern Europe and Sweden. Existing and historical biases are highlighted and discussed in terms of their impact on interpretation of gender roles within ancient societies.