ven Netw Perspectives in Archeology Ealted by Sa.ty Bl Byron aso Lewes R(Booronw f//)., wy adoro New Mexeooni ©3808 by Wegner en Foudion Phaeton saci psp at yin "TE ar echo nding pet ie, ‘eosin in weiog frm the plier ‘Pm tthe Untied Snes af America Se x Since ioral cent ond een social don of poh peoples lt fda oder expeton in retel remain como! eg 0 {ty to ave at © Knouedge of them ‘rough ercasslosa imseprtton- M.S Suen, Wik he proper approach t shuld be ponte decor tod decamet & (rat de about sol stem andthe polis end religous organs for Inast prohtore- catre. There mas Ire mts, Kinds of tfomaton we cant recontrct, bt wnt we has ted we ‘hal et oe thee irae. SeasArcheological Perspectives ‘Abook whos ile prolains something new immediately challenges the fear to verity the claim to novely or Innoviton, The purpre of this ‘Peper & to jut thi book le hy making expt what & new and op, how familiar idees and arguments galt # new sigacance when ‘iene in the perpestive being developed “Ths paper does not attempt an exhaustive hitoral analysis of the field of archeology but rather the selcive treatment of sever gene areas of archeological concer put ito historical perspective Tt hoped ‘hae this background wil offer the reader aueater depth of Feld wget shih vow the subtative papers which fallow The Aims of Archeology “The mas proftable nquy of archeology] the search forthe xg of cpashaning fon to ede te cmp te Hany of cence ‘Bias 165; pa). -Arhnelgy, by etymology the dy of bingy, as stl econ ‘on fre jective (Kron 1957p 16). ‘These eal statement summarize the generally scepted view on the sins of ecology. Taylor (1948, pp. Bf, 207) bax thoroughly docu toented the fact that reconstruction af cute history wat widely 2c (ped a the ad of archeologial research. Since Taylors publication, 5. rte Thad Mad Sean sr etl fey nd oer et ta Eiken ms snd En Sey wngri ges see 3) Se ce ug ce wo oe wk of a ——™rtr—~t—i“‘“e—s— rrr suc fe Mere Ee fare SEN SAE Ha Sen mom Sa et ee ee yoy tt ey TZor fluent! advocate for more steton toward ths eed has bee Tee The evs a yl ain — - + é$_=- ia at ee al a ng oe ep sk 5 Most archeologists would agie that we should not lose sight of “the Indian behind the anit” (Braidwood 189, 79) and would accep {jor sim of acheaogy the reonstrction of ews ‘While thse aims of reomsteuting clture story and ileways cannot tye nid to hove been satvactorly achieved: afew acheologis Doing the 1890s began fo sues ims reaching far beyond these: Soe dy werd clare History wil ie brown far x archaea Sere sean ak pert vey pot cement of ee Sar Wy an oe npc, Tir, sen, motin Secon Sogn ine on dae hen tam ad TELSyAE ioe sll we Se rab ed ape ht he ae Bey ey ace a nape te ese srl hme tat wl PATE Menap = Cnr compe he aan hat Sey ol na nu mine gent eee cl then FRESE seek sponte Srey we an sed we hit SSeS Ctl add pl avagemens ad nitions of Ta ate tes asain hat develo, aan seemed rion who sate The ae pote oe fort Seva Ser D8 pe SP ‘and one yea ear Scandanavian archolous bo arg that his callaguer te stock of where they have boen and where they were sing Tepper that archeology, nite of resale achiweens, sw arena The ube abt somite mercy of» compro of (ee Sastematatn. Brae stenatiaton, regal ext rt un drat hit sa of te rg eco TER ie pera ade io a andertning of sok yt SR Sed stil ony Fos and pes ane bee ep SESS TUT ve thn he tty whch ete ter ad ab eR. Biaford Archeological Perpectioes : demi hor mein Mee we ad ie ‘Sere te prcedre sadam ol ur Soce mast bce (Tallpen, igo re teas) Statements unsng archeologists to concem themselves with problems ‘af proconappested with nearing frequency inthe erature ofthe next ebay yeas (Steward 12. p 128, Bennet 19K) p28, Chie, 1946, 28, Clark, 1955, 1953; Bue, 1950, and expecially Caldvel, 195) Je rece 1955 this concer with process wa stil bing defined aed ‘Bstingusbed from other sins of acheaogy ‘$0 ie wk has Ben done in Amen archaeology on the explanatory tpl tha i if finds ame fr Inthe conten of olan dog, poses ltt the sty of he mate of bat ay feared tnt oltvehiral procs, Practaly speaking. 8 pes ‘hate to dcover nants the relatos ve bythe ods Gf caehatocaltepiton On th eplanatry lel of baie thas we ae naling aig merely what bat abo ow ad een hy {ey anda, 588 pp 8). Willy and Philp’ statement abouts ite wrk having ben done on tho explanatory level war made despite such elfrts as Stewards (1947) Investigation of etlenent patter which wore later olaborated on in the View Valley project. Willey himel had expressed zea optinism about the posits for “prcrsal nterpretation” 8 well as forthe reco Strain of cultural ietitions (Willey 1053, p 1). Some ofthe otber dirs ade beteon the Inte 1900s sad te ite 196 toward gaining I anderstanding of elt proces were Whites arguments on the rae cory a the evuton of care (Whit, 185, pp. 305-50), Stew fds Cult Cawsty and Law." (2949), and Stwad and Wit foots sty of ization (Steward eal, 1955) Ty his 106 Preside Adds othe American Anthropological ASO- ciation, Willy gain comented on the Tack f progres im galing & ‘rocersal undertandng of clare history Cera the ansvess to te. cal quis a to why the ancient ‘ef cn began sd res he il nd her ry {RM dean what Teo er ile moet deere ‘Sd compar eta stats and vir a events (Wey, 186, p 1). There began to ape nthe trate a general dapening of cathe sia of thove who ste twenty Yeas eater had elle forthe archelo- {Ei to frm i tenon to poco ovetigtons. There was a simar [esimis expres in he wring of Bets tholare despite the work of Sh tne or Che (1), Cif! (195), an Chk 161, 153) We have bth snidence af the nett ent, and ate cena Ang doubt Weim set htt achaoigy = Were are a08 Arcola Theory an Method {ac ote than howe wich re... "oer at”, What we ve ‘our dupa, w rtnany ed cdetly meviig dae sm ‘Sha of eter aay whch we espn ar bow nd ey {Ee pcan unl of Si elms ies dest fran we stein om (gen 85, p45) “The linking together ofthe iis of arceslogal intereetation with the Ragman ature of tho arcesoyal cod ie ples we examin some deta ater (Se pp, 18-23), but the pas to be mae ‘er ar: (1) tte wa general sesptanoe of he tre ane of arch ry reontrcton of elt stay econstnacton of ways spd the {ehnertion of xtra proces, and (3) thee bas hoe nen spelt ver ho feu of atving te hid ln, The Methods of Archeology-Traditional Approaches “This section examines the sothods tadionally wed In attempts to achive thesis of acheougy. We shall deal with each of the alms sepe- Iataly atonpe to deertbe the methods employed, aod analyze some of the problems underlying the apliation of tod to problem Racontncting cle haony consists of araging clr sats i « srry whch secuntely roel ther greets ft. Arcola have [Bally opted onthe basis oth ling tro spin The dare of genes afin bower to cal wis aes dircaly wih tess hey eh npscraly ted character sais (or emma whole clue unis or comple eng lemon sacs ot). he dpe of geal linty between to cul wns can te tenured by the a of red gel rete charset ‘be mmber of neh at ot shared ier evdent that each culls tit tabulated in obsning the rio vrhich measures degree of genealogical sft must be evaluate ode Tene wheter he slay tree ni rte fonction fs] taramisce din barn ctrl unter independent dee ‘ret wh cach cll un rhe ta aly tld robles is: How can archenlogts dings between homologous a ana. cata ssle? “Aen + 1900 EB Tylor conceroed hime with hs probes nd sagged «poor forsnalving bev snares by dirk to contort elas swig 9 Ble contin with oe “het they may be sesmebhy tate a dependent Foe re nerd canes te moe tot he eae fhe ca So 189, . 8) Im other words, Tylor nuggets that one mish calculate the probubites 1. R Blnford Archeological Perpectoes ° GL independent sceurences of ential combinations among 2 set of asperictly arying character, “Other workers worrying over he ssn problem offered sur sugges tion For ctample, Crueboer (1911) eles two enter for evaluating (aural snares theenteran of fon, and that of quantitative coin ence, For Graetner the enteron of form consisted ofthe degree to ‘Sih there wat «cinedenor of tharactestcs which didnot neces Them from “dhe nature ofthe abject compare the erteron of oinc ‘Bence layin deterining whetber or wot the tlt or lem under study ‘ceureed as an lited snianty ora an element of greater ealtral ‘imps, On the ba ofthe een of frm, thls greater cltural com ‘ler could aot reasonably be viewed 2: having aren independentiy Robert Lowi pote out rome of the shortcomings of Cracboers re soning. “Toe eoparson of form ean never do spore than establish the ident of forms ht such entity sto be explained by genetic elation ‘hep an hypothesis.” (1912, p28). He also noted that Graebae {Tata terion was not probabaltic a was Tyler's but was simply the elton of form rel fou higher level of abstraction and Wat ‘Berefore not an independent terion for dgment (191, p27) "Krecentevakation of the appiations of Tylos probity method totes tnt probability calelations of concrete eases have seldom been fed accurately, snd in tany instances the apparent acuracy of Frobaiityvesoning bas been santic rather then « methodlogen Eton to the anthropological Mersture (ramus, 1050, pp. S77). ‘Amore basi flaw in Tylots procedure isthe assmption of worker’ ‘hity to recognize constitute laments which ars fac independent ‘arable, This problem has ben discussed (Erasmus, 160, pp. 375-87, ands and Rie) 1989 and icvcly by Saket 1968), but no methods ave been advanced forthe salaton ofthe problem otee than the inten five anys ofthe dstbotion and putters of covariation demonseable ong cece characteristic Sush studies hive rarely ees conducted ‘by arhesogits and corainly ave never been routine analysal com [nent of te works of zchelogits proposing histarial reconstructions. ‘Ths putea problem hae hora the almost exclusive concern of ethno ‘aphers and sone of which archeologists iavolved in reconstructions of ‘altro have serned dels unaware ‘Lowie (1912 pp. 2-27) pointed ost another prolamin method — that while ome workers bave attempted to sey sia which tose from generic connections Between clara wns, 0 one hed com idee the means for naling the alterative of independent develop iment except by Ick of abilty Yo demonstrate historeal connections Without fst gaining some ndertanding of laws of ealtwral develop {ment such independent men fr evaluating particule cases wil con ‘inv to belching ‘Despite these unsolved prolens of method and our consequent nabie Archeological Theory and Method ‘yt detngush accurtely betwen slags and homologies, acheso- gts have contined to formulate reconstrtions using the Proceies st forth by Tylor and Grsehner on a common eee lve often adding dlstrbutionl enter. Th principe of interpretation which have guided srceologiss Yeconsructions af calure history can be summarized as follows: 1, Tho probability of aifsion having taken place increases dell with the degree of formal rseeblance betwee items and tats (Jen rings 1957, p. 285, Linton, 1098, p. S72) and with the dezwee of compo ‘ental compat ofthe ats compared (Liston, 1906, p72). 2, The probly of difaion having taken place decreases with th mount of temporal sel spatial sparta betwee the tite being com pared (Liston, 1996, p. 510, for relevant dscuions see Wall 1925 ‘Moggers, Evans, and Esra, 1985, pp 157-78, nd Rowe, 1068, pp sie) Such guides to iterpretation ignore the inherent unsolved problems of method and epistemology, and mot taonomc schemes proposed as ads to Bistoncal recomtracion ako fil to cope wih then, For example Moker in his dscuson ofthe Midwestern Taxonomic System made i ‘ite clear tat classifications are to be made wilh respect Io lit of fulte tite undiferentisted ato the klhood oftheir repeesntog Analogies or homalogies Al the tits cratic f «nen sue mantetton compris the ‘hare comer for tat manfention, "Tn any campers of Oh ‘munettio with aster, ae for purpose of elation, ean as thoy be demons at pest a th conpaes, ade ke at Errelt sow ctr! tity betwen het cre vrs (109, [Numerous cas ofthe application ofthe Midwest Taxonomic System (Smith, 140, Cole and Dew, 157, pp. 207-218: Criffin, 1943. More, 1963) demonstrate that there wa a stempt nade to distingish be: ‘wren analogous snd homologous tuts, (It shouldbe pointed out, how fever, thatthe MeKern syser internally constr aod gal, ost of {he problems witht have aren from those who have misusd ) Other Schemes have alo employed summations of abxervations whose relevance to ducusion of ealtural lbgeny sod contac ight wll be questioned {Cladwin, 1604, Colton, 1999) Hoare (1955) recosnioed the difference between csifiaton bated on gross measures of silty and “genetic colton he went on to sagen tat forthe purpose of Mistrial ‘would sem advise fist oinnae al the resemblances wh “LER Binford Archeological Perpectces a “ot spear to hve been scampi by canta. Nest, one ms decide ‘Then a he romasing samba zed fo eon coonection her Than some ether factor rch a pation t snr eiomest a ‘Satoent ote me hve coal devlpneat. Only th ml Be {tet chome frm among 0 trou Pale fm of pole coma (185, p19). Hlowever Rose offer no gidelins for deciding which tras ae gener fly vlied ad which ones might xk sian from othe ees. 2 ‘Bort, Rouse’ statement shows an awareness of many’ ofthe shortcoming: ‘of taxonemie schemes bt offers no soliton to one of th major uadery- tng methodological problems tt ago! here thatthe accomplishment of the reconstruction of care history s predicated upon an overbal of method and theory, hat ‘eadtonal methodology and aula! procedures are inadequate forthe Socesfl achievement ofthe stated sims ofthe Sel. Given our cure Sepiscaton in dating tecigues, we cn fly aceaatly place ache ‘ogi! remains in Gir proper chronological reltonsipe to one am. fer, Weean inventory the remains and discus additions, dltions, and Siytwidleatons” inthe inventorier of ier through Hine. We eat alse ommlate clasieatons of asemblages onthe basis of summary meas ‘er of fra sarin between recovered tere (see Ford, 1954); we ‘an aio meature Meneses by comparing the total composition of the unpe of ecovered mater (see Bards, 158). Arguments ca then be onmulted sbout the probably of one such ton being he elterat ‘sncetor, descendant or collate] relative of soother thon (sce Hodson fat 198, Doran ad Hodson, 1966), or wheter another wit might be {rere appropriately cociderd (see Warren, 17, pp. 105-5. Sanger, 1G8T, pp 158-07, Aiken, 187, pp. 198-00; and Seleser 167, pp sin) ‘These procedures, however, do not help to achieve the stated ao of cxchoology. An accurate and mcaingfl history is ore than » Benes Tied narrative ofthe changes i compostion ofthe archeological reco rough tne (see, for example, Cri, 167}. iy abo more an constriction from ha eco sing eterpetivepriciples sch those