Ethnoarchaeology: Processual Approach
Bridging the gap between past and present and bestowing archaeological record in more coherent, and systematically was provided by Binford in the 1970. He is regarded as the prominent processual archaeologist and envisioned ethnoarchaeology as the rightful methodological heir for elucidating archaeological problems scientifically.
According to Binford cultures are not internally homogenous they differ by age and sex roles and therefore culture change is better understood through ecological factors. Thus, changes are result of both external and internal factors which are complex in nature. And accordingly, advocated comparative ethnography i.e. correlated human behavior and material culture studies with
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The assumed result would be an existence of social inequality within the society. Similarly he further explains how the middle range theory can provide essential help in providing an estimation in identifying the settlement size and thereby the population of an ancient society. He mentions that size of settlement can be obtained by inferring the number of rooms in each household consist within a settlement. This result can also be correlated with population size. Hence, Binford argues such assumption are possible through observing the pattern of distribution of population within a settlement in present society. Such observation of population dynamics, production, consumption and redistribution is highly appreciated in his classic work on the Nunaviut Ethnoarchaeology (Johnson …show more content…
His new method focused on the interpretation based on personal understanding than outside influence. He was greatly dissatisfied with the processual approach for the interpretation of culture (Trigger 2006). Thus, post processualist were critical about the processual methods of positivism and scientific study to achieve objective reasoning. Hence, the main argument proposed by post processualist was that past societies needs to be observed through ideology. For instance religion and how it can help in interpreting the world and influence the behavior of man. Therefore, Hodder emphasized on the analysis of symbols and symbolic meaning towards comprehending culture change. Henceforth, the post processualist argued that archaeology is more subjective than
...ncyclopedia of Archaeology, Ed. Deborah M. Pearsall. Vol. 3. Oxford, United Kingdom: Academic Press, 2008. p1896-1905. New Britain: Elsevier, Inc.
Stapp, Darby C. "An Anthropological Perspective on Magistrate Jelderks's Kennewick Man Decision." Kennewick Man Perspectives on the Ancient One (n.d.): 44-66. World Archaeological Congress. Web. 02 Apr. 2013.
Examining excavated artifacts can tell researchers a lot about the people who left them behind. The artifacts can hint at characteristics such as how people lived, what time period they were from, what they ate, and how their families were structured. The identification of the three bags of artifacts was completed by utilizing artifacts that helped to infer the time period it was from.
Turfa, Jean Maclntosh. American Journal of Archaeology. N.p.: Archaeological Institute of America, 1977. JSTOR. Web. 30 Nov. 2013.
Discussions in the 1970’s and 1980’s within both sides of the debate indicate population change, behavior change and natural processes to be the large determining factors (Attenbrow, 2004). Many archaeologists accepted there was a continuing increase over time in the number of archaeological sites established and used, as well as in the number of artefacts accumulated in individual sites, particularly in the past 5000 years (eg. Johnson 1979:39; Bowdler1981; Morwood 1984:371, 1986, 1987; Ross 1984, 1985:87; Beaton 1985: 16-18; Fletcher-Jones 1985: 282, 286; Lourandos 1985a: 393-411, 1985b: 38; White and Habgood 1985; Hiscock 1986) (Attenbrow, 2004). Population change refers to the changes in number of people or size of the population, behavioural changes referring to changes to activities such as tool manufacturing, subsistence practices as well as the use of space within a site (Attenbrow, 2004). Whilst natural processes include geomorphological and biological process that may have affected the archaeological record (At...
James P. Spradley (1979) described the insider approach to understanding culture as "a quiet revolution" among the social sciences (p. iii). Cultural anthropologists, however, have long emphasized the importance of the ethnographic method, an approach to understanding a different culture through participation, observation, the use of key informants, and interviews. Cultural anthropologists have employed the ethnographic method in an attempt to surmount several formidable cultural questions: How can one understand another's culture? How can culture be qualitatively and quantitatively assessed? What aspects of a culture make it unique and which connect it to other cultures? If ethnographies can provide answers to these difficult questions, then Spradley has correctly identified this method as revolutionary.
When comparing the ways in which post processual and processual archaeologists interpret artifacts we can see that post processual archaeologists make cultural inferences using their own interpretations. Processualists however try to explain cultural change through environmental adaptations thus making objective inferences. According to post processual archaeology environmental determinism is one of processual archaeology's weaknesses along with a lack of human agency. It is clear that these two schools of thought have a lot they disagree on, and have their own views of how culture is constructed. Processual archaeology has allowed Ian Hodder to develop what we know today as post processual archaeology. However, despite the differences among them one can agree that without one another archaeology would not be what it is today.
The basic means of subsistence for the people who first migrated into North America was the hunting of large game and fishing. These activities were likely a continuation of previously developed skills and behaviors. Furthermore, the Paleo-Indians would be entering new environments with new, unknown, and potentially poisonous plant life. On the other hand,megafauna, like mammoths, were an abundant and known commodity whose meat could sustain a small group for an extended period of time. As the Paleo-Indians migrated eastward, much of the megafauna had thinned out or become extinct. They adapted by hunting smaller game and incorporating regional flora, such as nuts, into their diet.
Culture often means an appreciation of the finer things in life; however, culture brings members of a society together. We have a sense of belonging because we share similar beliefs, values, and attitudes about what’s right and wrong. As a result, culture changes as people adapt to their surroundings. According to Bishop Donald, “let it begin with me and my children and grandchildren” (211). Among other things, culture influences what you eat; how you were raised and will raise your own children? If, when, and whom you will marry; how you make and spend money. Truth is culture is adaptive and always changing over time because
“The Barbeau archives at the Canadian Museum of Civilization: some current research problems” Anthropologica 43(2): 191. Accessed November 2004 on ProQuest http://proquest.umi.com/. ProQuest document ID: 357968991
Paleolithic age presents the era when key human adaptations evolved in response to a variety of environmental changes experienced at the time. This period of human evolution coincided with change within the surrounding of man. Such included cooling, drying and unpredictable climatic patterns over the time. This increased amount of variability in environmental conditions raised the level of uncertainty and instability in their respective terms of survival, necessitated the man to adopt new habits to increase adaptability to the new and changing surroundings. The evolved structures and behaviors led to specialization to enable coping with changing and unpredictable conditions.
In his essay, “What is Culture?”, Kluckhohn explains the differences and similarities amongst world’s peoples. To support his explanation of the differences and similarities he provides the concept of culture. It is difficult to give this concept a precise definition because the word “culture” is a broad term. Kluckhohn allows the reader to understand the concept of culture by providing examples of cultural differences along with some anthropological evidence to support his views.
These leading anthropologists paved the way for Lewis Binford and his absolutely influential paper titled Archaeology as Anthropology in which Binfo...
According to The Society for American Archaeology, the definition of Archaeology is, “to obtain a chronology of the past, a sequence of events and dates that, in a sense, is a backward extension of history.” The study of ancient civilizations and archaeology is rather ambiguous due to the primitive nature of the time period. With little imagery and even less textual evidence, professionals in the field must work diligently when studying their subjects. Naturally, archaeologists cannot see or communicate with those whom they are studying, so they must be extraordinarily meticulous when analyzing past cultures. This relates to all aspects of the ancient world including; foods, raw materials, artifacts, agriculture, art work and pottery. All of these elements can collectively provide new and innovative information to curious archaeologists who may wish to gain a better understanding of those who came before us. This information is equally beneficial for both historians and archaeologists who plan to compare the histories of societies from all around the world. In the world of archaeology, archaeologists strive to better explain human behavior by analyzing our past. Therefore, the study of archaeology is a key element in understanding a time before our own.
GERSTER, G. TRUMPLER, C. 2007, the Past from Above: Aerial Photographs of Archaeological Sites, Getty Publications, P 67