Resumen de Social anthropology and the dtudy of material culture in Irish Museums
The study of artifacts and techniques is a central concern in ethnological museums but has not received very much attcntion in Irish social anthropology, partly bccause the programmes set out by major theorists are too gencralised to be easily applicable to dctailed cmpirical data. This paper will summarise some attempts to show how social relations are expressed through, or are affected by available technoiogy.
The most succcssful work of this kind has been centred on relations of mutual help in rural áreas, but the paper will argüe that even here, complexities of technique are not included in the analysis.
Despite massive difficulties ¡n achieving this, it will be argued that the project should be considered important.
Artifacts and techniques are of vital interest to Irish country people, and good fieldwork, and analysis, should take this into account.
