ArtifactsBY BENJAMIN HUGE

Artifact: Seahawks Logo

Why Seahawks?

1. I’m a fan 2. It is relatable artifact 3. It is relevant right now 4. It ties into our text

Let’s start with Culture

• *Culture: the system of material manifestations of our group identifications (Brummett, 60)

• Group identity plays a crucial role in culture.

• Material manifestations are made up of artifacts or “supersigns”

So what is an Artifact

Definition: 1. An action, event, or

object perceived as a unified whole

2. Having widely shared meanings, and

3. Manifesting group identifications to us.

Warning: Everything is a sign, but not every sign is a cultural artifact.

An Action, Event, or Object Perceived as a Unified Whole

Events and actions occurring in the material world are also material.

Perception plays a role. Organization is vital. The Seahawk logo

could just be a picture.

There is social context.

Having Widely Shared Meanings

An artifact is a sign that has become charged with widely shared meaning.

There is a threshold at which objects, events, actions become artifacts or… they don’t become cultural artifacts anymore.

Artifacts can be composed of other artifacts within it. Think of a web of artifacts.

Manifesting Group Identification

Artifacts are material signs of abstract groups (Brummett, 54). We all belong to groups! Identifications can have emotional aesthetic bases.

Allegiance to the Seahawks Groups connect with us and influence us by that artifact “In the know”

So what is the point?

Artifacts are a socially created reality

Signs become artifacts as they become charged with meaning, thus crossing a threshold into artifact status

An artifact can be very complex, even being made up of other artifacts

Artifacts are the material signs of group identification

Questions?????