Suchergebnisse

Andean Archaeology. Helaine Silverman, ed. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 2004. 342 pp.

Historical Archaeology. Martin Hall and Stephen W. Silliman, eds. Malden, MA: Blackwell, 2006. 341 pp.

This review begins with a brief outline of the key concepts of Darwinian archaeology. Its history is then summarized, beginning with its emergence as a significant theoretical focus within the discipline in the early 1980s; its main present-day currents are then presented, citing examples of recent work. The developments in archaeology are part of broader trends in anthropology and psychology and are characterized by the same theoretical disagreements. There are two distinct research traditions: one centered on cultural transmission and dual inheritance theory and the other on human behavioral ecology. The development of specifically archaeological methodologies within these two traditions for testing evolutionary hypotheses relating to diachronic questions using archaeological data is discussed. Finally, this review suggests that the greatest challenge for the future lies in finding ways of using archaeological data to address current major debates in evolutionary social science as a whole concerning, for example, the emergence of large-scale cooperation.

Amazonian archaeology has made major advances in recent decades, particularly in understanding coupled human environmental systems. Like other tropical forest regions, prehistoric social formations were long portrayed as small-scale, dispersed communities that differed little in organization from recent indigenous societies and had negligible impacts on the essentially pristine forest. Archaeology documents substantial variation that, while showing similarities to other world regions, presents novel pathways of early foraging and domestication, semi-intensive resource management, and domesticated landscapes associated with diverse small- and medium-sized complex societies. Late prehistoric regional polities were articulated in broad regional political economies, which collapsed in the aftermath of European contact. Field methods have also changed dramatically through in-depth local and regional studies, interdisciplinary approaches, and multicultural collaborations, notably with indigenous peoples. Contemporary research highlights questions of scale, perspective, and agency, including concerns for representation, public archaeology, indigenous cultural heritage, and conservation of the region's remarkable cultural and ecological resources.

Bibliography: pages 167-177. ; Accompanied by: Faizal's journey : discovering the past through objects. ; The topic of this dissertation developed out of the 1980s era of resistance to Apartheid. At that time, mass-campaigns produced the concept of People's Education, which challenged established State-structures. People's Education was based on participatory democracy and drew on communities' knowledge rather than state-sanctioned knowledge. The concept of People's Archaeology is a product of that time-period. It focuses on involving communities in the practice of archaeology, beyond the stage of consultation. Within the forthcoming election process, Black communities are to be empowered politically and this empowerment has, in other countries seen an accompanying growth in concerns about identity, cultural property and ownership. I argue that identity politics will be crucial in the future South African society and that archaeology will play an important role in this debate. The discipline faces transformation in the coming decade and education will be critical in this change. In this dissertation I contend that past attempts at popular education in archaeology have had very limited success. Archaeology still remains a discipline unknown to the majority of South Africans. This dissertation explores the reasons for the limited success of these attempts by critically examining the structure of the discipline in South Africa, and the perception that it creates to the public. It also goes further by exploring an alternative to these efforts at popular education through the use of principles and methods developed in People's Education. This project takes the debate about People's Archaeology beyond theory and attempts to implement some of the ideas through two projects, one dealing with an excavation, the other focusing on the production of a popular resource. I explore the pitfalls and benefits of these projects and make recommendations concerning the future of the discipline.

Lamberg-Karlovsky, C. C. "Politics and Archaeology : Colonialism, Nationalism, Ethnicity, and Archaeology, Part 1," The Review of Archaeology 18 (1997): 1-4, continué "Politics and Archaeology Colonialism, Nationalism, Ethnicity, and Archaeology, Part 2," The Review of Archaeology 19 (1998): 35-46.

Demography in Archaeology, first published in 2006, is a review of current theory and method in the reconstruction of populations from archaeological data. Starting with a summary of demographic concepts and methods, the book examines historical and ethnographic sources of demographic evidence before addressing the methods by which reliable demographic estimates can be made from skeletal remains, settlement evidence and modern and ancient biomolecules. Recent debates in palaeodemography are evaluated, new statistical methods for palaeodemographic reconstruction are explained, and the notion that past demographic structures and processes were substantially different from those pertaining today is critiqued. The book covers a wide span of evidence, from the evolutionary background of human demography to the influence of natural and human-induced catastrophes on population growth and survival. This is essential reading for any archaeologist or anthropologist with an interest in relating the results of field and laboratory studies to broader questions of population structure and dynamics

This article explores the relationship between the archaeological remains of clay ovens excavated in the Iron Age level at Tel Hadar, Israel & modern socio-cultural behaviour linked to clay ovens used for bread baking. After a short introduction on one of the excavated ovens & the precise report of one experimentation with local people, most of the text describes my ethno-archaeological observations from the past five years in Syria. Through a study that combines archaeology, ethno-archaeology & experimental archaeology I documented techniques of construction, differentiated various types of ovens & recorded culinary & social function. Based on this research a worksheet has been developed maximize the potential for information retrieved during the excavation of clay ovens. 1 Table, 21 Figures, 5 References. Adapted from the source document.

Whether deployed in space or on the surface of the earth, remote sensing instruments are increasingly becoming standard archaeological tools. Space age techniques have begun to accumulate a wealth of information and unusual evidence such as the presence of sand-buried courses of ancient rivers in the Sahara and the associated remains of human occupations. Perhaps as important, some have been able to gather priceless knowledge without disturbing fragile sites--a capability that is particularly significant in this era of conservation. Remote Sensing in Archaeology illustrates the uses of advanced technology in archaeological investigation. It deals with hand-held instruments that probe the subsurface of the earth to unveil layering and associated sites; underwater exploration and photography of submerged sites and artifacts; and the utilization of imaging from aircraft and spacecraft to reveal the regional setting of archaeological sites and to assist in cultural resource management. In each case, the technical developments are explained first, followed by examples of applications as case studies. Contributors are renowned experts from the international scientific community. Each chapter is composed as a self-standing contribution with a summary and an introduction to help the reader grasp the value of its contents. The book is profusely illustrated with graphs and photographs to explain the methodologies and results, so that the reader may better understand the principles involved and apply the knowledge gained to similar environments. Complete lists of references cited will also allow the reader to investigate more deeply the problems and findings. "This book provides an excellent and diverse overview of the emerging capability of remote sensing archaeology and is a very valuable and important text for archaeologists in their quest to use advanced technology to help in their studies of exploration, and for remote sensing technologists and scientists by giving them a good understanding of the challenges that archaeologists find in their endeavors. The editors are to be applauded for bringing together such an excellent collection of authors and articles to cover this important emerging field."--Charles Elachi, Director, Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NASA), Pasadena, California