‘Ritual Failure’ is a new concept in archaeology adopted from the discipline of anthropology. Resilient religious systems disappearing, strict believers and

This volume investigates the implications of breaking ritual rules, of failed performances and of the extinction of ritual systems. The essays thus break new gr

Ritual theorizing has tended to focus on perfect rituals, as prescribed in sacred texts, yet ritual mistakes occur all the time--crucial items can go missing or

In The Dysfunction of Ritual in Early Confucianism Michael Ing describes how early Confucians coped with situations where their rituals failed to achieve their

The present volume is entirely dedicated to the investigation of the implications and effects of breaking ritual rules, of failed performances and of the extinc