Dance, Space, Ritual. Material Evidence of Dance Performance in the Ancient World

The volume explores archaeological approaches to dance performances and the context of archaeological evidence concerning dance in ancient societies; it aims to shed light on the function of dance performances and reconstruct the role of dance, as well as that of music and sound, in the ancient world. The articles explore material evidence of dance and highlight the contribution of this evidence to deepening our understanding of the cultural, religious, and social meanings and functions of dance within activities of ritual and everyday life, reconstructing the many different ways and contexts in which they were experienced. Sacred spaces have been considered not only in terms of how the shapes of spaces and structures interacted with human experience, but also how the characteristics of dancefloors could be studied as architectural structures that directed attention to the interplay between human behaviour, bodily movement, space, and the built environment. Thus, the volume, miscellaneous, aims not only to stimulate the study of physical movements performed in ancient ritual settings, but also explore how they could contribute to the complex relationship between buildings, spaces, performance, and social interactions, enhancing the memory of special events devoted to particular divinities.