Ethnoarchaeology in Action

TLDR

Ethnoarchaeology began as the archaeological study of ethnographic material culture and, over the past fifty years, has broadened to encompass cultural and social anthropology, drawing on both processual and post‑processual theoretical frameworks. The book aims to evaluate ethnoarchaeology’s actual and potential contributions and to examine its place within the broader field of anthropology. Using a case‑study approach, the authors present introductory chapters on theory, methods, and ethics, followed by ten topical chapters that cover formation processes, subsistence, artefact analysis, settlement systems, architecture, craft production, trade, mortuary practices, and ideology. The volume is richly illustrated with photographs of leading ethnoarchaeologists in action.

Abstract

Ethnoarchaeology first developed as the study of ethnographic material culture from archaeological perspectives. Over the past half century it has expanded its scope, especially to cultural and social anthropology. Both authors are leading practitioners, and their theoretical perspective embraces both the processualism of the New Archaeology and the post-processualism of the 1980s and 90s. A case-study approach enables a balanced global geographic and topical coverage, including consideration of materials in French and German. Three introductory chapters discuss the subject and its history, survey the theory, and discuss field methods and ethics. Ten topical chapters consider formation processes, subsistence, the study of artefacts and style, settlement systems, site structure and architecture, specialist craft production, trade and exchange, and mortuary practices and ideology. Ethnoarchaeology in Action concludes with ethnoarchaeology's contributions actual and potential, and with a look at its place within anthropology. It is generously illustrated, including many photographs of leading ethnoarchaeologists in action.