Advances in Archaeological Method and Theory, Volume 6 is a collection of papers dealing with the study of man's ancestors in antiquity. One paper compares archaeology in Europe and in North America where turn-of-the-century archaeologists, both professionals and amateurs, have contributed to the development of the science. Their contribution has led to an institutional sense of delineating professionals and amateurs in archaeological science and, more substantially, in matters of defining stone tools, cultural occupations, and cultural change. Another paper discusses large-scale stylistic trait distribution in broad terms related to archaeology, sociology, and geography. A model of cultural evolution simplifies anthropological concept of cultural complexity into inequality and heterogeneity, which are measurable variables to test hypotheses of cultural evolution. One paper cites the case of the Maya as subsistence and complex societies to show the diversity of Maya agriculture and other subsistence subsystems. One paper notes that the concepts and theory which archaeologists are using tend to be more sophisticated than their ability to provide samples of observations for testing. The collection is suitable for professional or amateur archaeologists, anthropologist, sociologists, and researchers interested in pre-historical times and cultures.
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Elsevier Science Publishing Co Inc
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Höhe: 229 mm
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978-0-12-003106-1 (9780120031061)
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Schweitzer Klassifikation
Contributors
Contents of Previous Volumes
1 The Antiquity of Man and the Development of American Archaeology
Introduction
The Prologue to Early Man: 1860-1890
The Great Paleolithic Controversy: 1889-1900
Early Man in America: What Have the Bones to Say?
The Folsom Finds
Archaeology's Flat Past and Some Conclusions
References
2 Investigating the Diffusion of Stylistic Innovations
Introduction
The Field of Study
Historical Background of Contemporary Diffusion Research
A General Framework for Investigation of Stylistic Diffusion
Donors and Potential Adopters of Innovations
The Social Context of Stylistic Diffusion
Implications for Stylistic Diffusion Rates
Implications for the Spatial Structure of Stylistic Trait Distributions
Concluding Remarks
References
3 Breaking Down Cultural Complexity: Inequality and Heterogeneity
Introduction
Stair Steps to Complexity: A Typological Approach to Cultural Evolution
Cultural Complexity as a Variable: The Hologeistic Method and Systems Theory
The Layer-Cake Model of Stratification
Breaking Down Cultural Complexity into Constituent Variables: Inequality and Heterogeneity
Cultural Complexity: The Interaction of Inequality and Heterogeneity
The Interaction of Heterogeneity and Inequality: The Pyramids of Egypt
The Integration of Societies: The Interaction of Heterogeneity and Inequality
Measuring Change in Cultural Complexity
Measuring Cultural Evolution: The Southwest
Conclusion
References
4 Subsistence and Complex Societies: The Case of the Maya
Introduction
Modeling Lowland Maya Agriculture
Testing Ground of the Dialectic: The Subsistence Evidence
Testing of the Dialectic
The State of the Lowland School
Note on New Publications
References
5 The Role of Palynology in Archaeology
Introduction
Data Base
Data Analysis
Pollen Analysis: The Archaeological Perspective
Summary
References
6 Plant Opal Phytolith Analysis: Major Advances in Archaeobotanical Research
Introduction
Phytolith Production in Plants
Taxonomy of Phytoliths
Taphonomy of Phytoliths
Phytolith Extraction from Plants
Phytolith Extraction from Soil
Phytoliths as Paleoclimatic Indices
Phytoliths and the Paleoecology of Archaeological Sites
Phytolith Studies in Prehistoric Agriculture
Phytolith Studies of Diet
Phytoliths and Prehistoric Plant Use
Phytolith Study of Tool Function
Phytoliths and Dating Methods
Phytolith Analysis and Archaeology: A Prospectus
References
7 The Siteless Survey: A Regional Scale Data Collection Strategy
Introduction
Excavation and Surface Survey
The Concept of Site
A Regional Data Acquisition Strategy
Summary
Postscript
References
8 Regional Sampling in Archaeological Survey: The Statistical Perspective
Introduction
Operational Models in Archaeological Survey
Fundamental Concepts
Estimating Regional Parameters
Recovery of Information about Archaeological Sites
Conclusion
References
Index
