1st Edition

Behavioral Archaeology Principles and Practice

By Michael B. Schiffer Copyright 2010
    231 Pages
    by Routledge

    256 Pages
    by Routledge

    Behavioral archaeology offers a way of examining the past by highlighting human engagement with the material culture of the time. 'Behavioral Archaeology: Principles and Practice' offers a broad overview of the methods and theories used in this approach to archaeology. Opening with an overview of the history and key concepts, the book goes on to systematically cover both principles and practice: the philosophy of science and the scientific method; artifacts and human behavior; archaeological inference; formation processes of the archaeological record; technological change; behavioral change; and ritual and religion. Detailed case studies show the relevance of behavioral method and theory to the wider field of archaeological studies. The book will be invaluable to students of archaeology and anthropology.

    Part I Introduction 1 Origins and the Four Strategies of Behavioral Archaeology 2 Conceptual Foundations Part II. Inference and Formation Processes 3 Archaeological Inference 4 Cultural Formation Processes 5 Noncultural (Environmental) Formation Processes 6 Identifying Formation Processes 7 Building Chronologies: A Hohokam Case Study 8 The Archaeological Process Part III. Technology 9 Research on Technology: History and Overview 10 Studying Technological Change (with James M. Skibo) 11 Ceramic Surface Treatments and Cooking Pot Performance 12 Folk Theories and Scientific Theories: the Case of the Early Electric Automobile 13 Long-Term Technological Competitions 14 Technological Differentiation 15 Differential Adoption and the Electric Lighthouse 16 The Cascade Model of Invention Processes Part IV. New Directions 17 The NewA" Behavioral Archaeology 18 Ritual and Religion (Kacy L. Hollenback) 19 A Behavioral Theory of Meaning (with the assistance of Andrea R. Miller) 20 The Materiality of Social Power (with William H. Walker) 21 Landscapes (Kacy L. Hollenback)

    Biography

    Michael B. Schiffer