on the uses of history in anthropology: the palio of Siena

Abstract

To illustrate the potential of joining history and anthropology in the study of complex societies, a particular ritual complex is considered from three different theoretical viewpoints — all essentially ahistoric — and then analyzed from a historical perspective. Comparing various approaches to the Sienese palio suggests that history need not be limited to providing “background” or addressing questions of origin; it can be used by anthropologists to critically examine their theories, sharpen their methods, and develop new lines of analysis. This requires, however, that historical material be evaluated by standards applied to field data and recast in anthropological terms.