ANTHR-140 Lecture Notes - Lecture 21: Bioarchaeology, Zooarchaeology, Iron Age
22 Dec 2020
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Document Summary
If we can describe the artifacts we can describe the people. Material culture can be divided into distinct cultures/groups: processualism- asking the why questions. Scientific rigor necessary to explain the whys of the archaeological record: post-processualism agency (who). Theory of social action allowing us to understand human decision making within a material context. Application to the state: culture-historical institutions of economy, kinship, politics, religions etc. are unique to each cultural group. Other facets of archaeological research useful to the state: zooarchaeology examines the relationships between humans and animals, paleoethnobotany reconstructing subsistence. Emerge from a regional process that require generations of interaction among competing polities. Over time, centralizing of economic and governmental centers = states. Primary factor in state formation has been the need to regulate hydraulic systems (such as irrigiation) Water control increases production but demands labor and organization. Large hydraulic works sustain towns and cities and become essential to subsistence. Ex the four great early river valley: trade.
