Difference, Similarity, and Code-Switching in Ancient Sicily and South Italy

In the editorial preface to HEROM , we acknowledged that the study of past material culture should contribute to our knowledge of the 'complex structure of past life' .e theme of the second volume of the journal, 'Artefact Variability, Assemblage Di eren tiation and Identity Negotiation', re ects this policy statement, and we are most grateful to Kristina Winther-Jacobsen and all of the contributors for having had the courage to take on this challenge.e question of identity is one of the key issues at stake.But how to de ne this concept?In the elds of current philosophy, psycho-analysis, social theory and cultural studies, the individual is no longer considered as a coherent whole subject but as an amalgamation of various cultural identi ers, such as location, gender, race, history, nationality, language, sexuality, age, status, religious beliefs, ethnicity and aesthetics.Culture can be considered a historical reservoir of these identi ers and is accordingly important in helping to shape identity.It is generally acknowledged that all active members of contemporary society step in and out of multiple identities many times each day depending on the social contexts she or he is part of -de ned by age, gender, family relationships, workplace, political and religious beliefs etc. Were these issues less complicated in Antiquity?We think not, and this quandary .Poblome et al. , p. .