Yang, Mayfair
Mauss or Bataille? Gift, Sacrifice, and Feasting Across China and the Northwest Coast
- 2022.
13
Several scholars have noted the striking similarities in the art motifs of Northwest Coast Native American cultures and those found China’s Bronze Age. However, there are as yet no historical or archaeological evidence to suggest any direct contact or diffusion of these art motifs. The article focuses on their cultures of gifting, feasting, and ritual expenditures. This exploration across the continents of Asia and North America is conducted with the help of two important theorists of the gift and sacrifice: Marcel Mauss and Georges Bataille.