This paper explores the importance of the role of archaeological context in shaping the concept of value, with a focus on Phoenician trade, technology, and cultural identity. Drawing on the excavation of the Phoenician shipwreck at Bajo de la Campana, it demonstrates how contextual evidence transforms isolated artifacts into a coherent narrative of economic systems, technological innovation, and social practices. The recovery of amphorae, silver ingots, and other traded goods reveals the vast scale of Phoenician maritime networks and their reliance on silver as both a medium of exchange and a foundation of their economy. Central to this prosperity was the trade of Tyrian purple dye, a commodity whose rarity, technological complexity, and cultural exclusivity elevated it beyond material worth to a marker of status and identity. The analysis extends beyond economic value to examine how heritage objects embody identity, spirituality, artistry, and aesthetics, illustrating that material culture is a medium of meaning rather than a static possession. Without context, artifacts risk being stripped of their interpretive depth, reduced to mere commodities with diminished scholarly and cultural worth. By situating objects within their archaeological, historical, and symbolic frameworks, this study argues that context is the birthplace of value, transforming physical remnants into testimonies of human creativity, belief, and interconnectedness.
| Published in | International Journal of Philosophy (Volume 13, Issue 4) |
| DOI | 10.11648/j.ijp.20251304.11 |
| Page(s) | 156-160 |
| Creative Commons |
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited. |
| Copyright |
Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group |
Context, Value, Archaeology, Shipwrecks, Philosophy
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APA Style
Elema, A. (2025). Archaeological Context and the Correlating Concept of Value. International Journal of Philosophy, 13(4), 156-160. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20251304.11
ACS Style
Elema, A. Archaeological Context and the Correlating Concept of Value. Int. J. Philos. 2025, 13(4), 156-160. doi: 10.11648/j.ijp.20251304.11
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Download@article{10.11648/j.ijp.20251304.11,
author = {Anika Elema},
title = {Archaeological Context and the Correlating Concept of Value
},
journal = {International Journal of Philosophy},
volume = {13},
number = {4},
pages = {156-160},
doi = {10.11648/j.ijp.20251304.11},
url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20251304.11},
eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijp.20251304.11},
abstract = {This paper explores the importance of the role of archaeological context in shaping the concept of value, with a focus on Phoenician trade, technology, and cultural identity. Drawing on the excavation of the Phoenician shipwreck at Bajo de la Campana, it demonstrates how contextual evidence transforms isolated artifacts into a coherent narrative of economic systems, technological innovation, and social practices. The recovery of amphorae, silver ingots, and other traded goods reveals the vast scale of Phoenician maritime networks and their reliance on silver as both a medium of exchange and a foundation of their economy. Central to this prosperity was the trade of Tyrian purple dye, a commodity whose rarity, technological complexity, and cultural exclusivity elevated it beyond material worth to a marker of status and identity. The analysis extends beyond economic value to examine how heritage objects embody identity, spirituality, artistry, and aesthetics, illustrating that material culture is a medium of meaning rather than a static possession. Without context, artifacts risk being stripped of their interpretive depth, reduced to mere commodities with diminished scholarly and cultural worth. By situating objects within their archaeological, historical, and symbolic frameworks, this study argues that context is the birthplace of value, transforming physical remnants into testimonies of human creativity, belief, and interconnectedness.
},
year = {2025}
}
TY - JOUR T1 - Archaeological Context and the Correlating Concept of Value AU - Anika Elema Y1 - 2025/10/28 PY - 2025 N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20251304.11 DO - 10.11648/j.ijp.20251304.11 T2 - International Journal of Philosophy JF - International Journal of Philosophy JO - International Journal of Philosophy SP - 156 EP - 160 PB - Science Publishing Group SN - 2330-7455 UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20251304.11 AB - This paper explores the importance of the role of archaeological context in shaping the concept of value, with a focus on Phoenician trade, technology, and cultural identity. Drawing on the excavation of the Phoenician shipwreck at Bajo de la Campana, it demonstrates how contextual evidence transforms isolated artifacts into a coherent narrative of economic systems, technological innovation, and social practices. The recovery of amphorae, silver ingots, and other traded goods reveals the vast scale of Phoenician maritime networks and their reliance on silver as both a medium of exchange and a foundation of their economy. Central to this prosperity was the trade of Tyrian purple dye, a commodity whose rarity, technological complexity, and cultural exclusivity elevated it beyond material worth to a marker of status and identity. The analysis extends beyond economic value to examine how heritage objects embody identity, spirituality, artistry, and aesthetics, illustrating that material culture is a medium of meaning rather than a static possession. Without context, artifacts risk being stripped of their interpretive depth, reduced to mere commodities with diminished scholarly and cultural worth. By situating objects within their archaeological, historical, and symbolic frameworks, this study argues that context is the birthplace of value, transforming physical remnants into testimonies of human creativity, belief, and interconnectedness. VL - 13 IS - 4 ER -
Global Maritime Archaeology, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
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