Abstract
Ian Hodder's Entanglement theory can be framed in the broader theoretical discussion on relational archaeologies. The main features of such a discussion are the relationship between humans and things, the materiality of things, and the rejection of the dualistic perception of the world.
The aim of Hodder's theory is not to provide a comprehensive methodological guide to approach archaeological questions, but rather to offer a reference point to process archaeological data and archaeology as a science. In a world where everything is interconnected, archaeologists have to consciously work with the openness of entanglement.
Following these principles, my paper aims to reveal an entanglement of a single artifact to illustrate a complex network of dependencies. Such relations not only surround the object, but simultaneously create it.
The artifact in question is the so-called Nestor's cup from Pithekoussai. I argue that the use of Hodder's theory creates a mutual correlation between seemingly unrelated elements, helping to narratively display complex phenomena.
Relatively small context of Nestor's cup encompasses various connections that lead to a much wider entanglement. The cup is related to the spread of writing, Homer's Iliad, the increasing popularity of a symposium, or to the origins of polis.
The cup is placed on a blurry border where the old meets the new in a mutual process of entanglement and disentanglement. The focus is placed on "becoming" rather than "being".
This allows to demonstrate the process of continuous change in a dynamic world, difficult to capture by static concepts.