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A Queer Feminist Perspective on the Early Neolithic Urfa Region: The Ecstatic Agency of the Phallus.

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Bibliographic Details
Title: A Queer Feminist Perspective on the Early Neolithic Urfa Region: The Ecstatic Agency of the Phallus.
Authors: Yurttaş, Emre Deniz1 ey2406@columbia.edu
Source: Cambridge Archaeological Journal. Aug2025, Vol. 35 Issue 3, p489-503. 15p.
Subject Terms: *LGBTQ+ people, *FEMINISTS, *ARCHAEOLOGY
Abstract: The archaeological settlements of the Early Neolithic Urfa region in Türkiye have garnered academic and public interest since the 1990s due to their large-scale stone architecture and rich iconography, particularly featuring phallic imagery. While mainstream narratives suggest a male-centred society in the region, feminist and queer theory approach such interpretations with a critical eye. By challenging traditional 'male-centred society' narratives through the lens of queer and feminist theories, this study offers a critique of existing methodologies that fail to historicize archaeological data. By recontextualizing the phallic iconography through the lens of sexuality, this study proposes a new interpretation: the phallus was not a symbol of male power, but an agent facilitating spiritual transcendence, enabling ecstatic experiences and serving as a conduit between the material and spiritual realms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Database: Academic Search Index
Description
Abstract:The archaeological settlements of the Early Neolithic Urfa region in Türkiye have garnered academic and public interest since the 1990s due to their large-scale stone architecture and rich iconography, particularly featuring phallic imagery. While mainstream narratives suggest a male-centred society in the region, feminist and queer theory approach such interpretations with a critical eye. By challenging traditional 'male-centred society' narratives through the lens of queer and feminist theories, this study offers a critique of existing methodologies that fail to historicize archaeological data. By recontextualizing the phallic iconography through the lens of sexuality, this study proposes a new interpretation: the phallus was not a symbol of male power, but an agent facilitating spiritual transcendence, enabling ecstatic experiences and serving as a conduit between the material and spiritual realms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:09597743
DOI:10.1017/S0959774325000083