000			01766nam a22002417a 4500
003			OSt
005			20260528143752.0
008			260528b |||||||| |||| 00| 0 eng d
020			_a9781598745429
040			_aKenya National Library Service
082			_a306.4609 BEV
245			_aCultures of commodity branding / _cedited by Andrew Bevan and David Wengrow.
300			_a267 pages : illustrations ; _c23 cm
520			_aThe book examines branding not as a modern invention of capitalism, but as a deep historical and cross-cultural practice found in many early societies. The book argues that “branding” the marking, labeling, and authentication of goods has existed since ancient times, including in ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Bronze Age Mediterranean, and early urban societies. These early systems of marking commodities were used not only for administration and trade, but also to communicate identity, authority, and cultural meaning. A key idea in the volume is that branded commodities should be understood as part of a wider set of social practices such as gift-giving, ritual, symbolism, and status display, rather than purely economic or capitalist tools. The contributors show that branding also appears in diverse modern and historical contexts, such as Cameroon, Socialist Hungary, Brazil, China, and even online marketplaces, demonstrating that branding operates across different political and economic systems.
650			_aMaterial culture -- History
650			_aManufacturers -- History
650			_aMarks of origin -- History
700			_aBevan, Andrew _eeditor
700			_aWengrow, David _eeditor
942			_2ddc _cBK _n0
999			_c492880 _d492880