Processual archaeology

concepts of culture and culture changed shifted from an evolutionary model, to taking into account each cultures unique set of circumstances, and finally to the wave of thought known as Processual archaeology. In the early years of Anthropology, one of the prevailing theories regarding culture involved what is…

Michael Nalley ATH 102 – Midterm Essay: Processual and Post-Processual Archaeology: The basic and primary purpose of archaeology is to help us understand humans. To move toward that end, most archaeologists pursue three basic goals, each building on the other. As in all science, archaeology begins with the discovery of new information, which then must be described. Ultimately, archaeology seeks to contribute to the development of a comprehensive understanding of human behavior. At any step along…

As stated in Killick’s article, the rapid growth of the field of archaeology comes with downfalls. Many aspects of processual archaeology is evident in Killick’s article. Such as his point that science is slowly intertwining itself with archaeology. Killick goes on to list issues in the field of archaeological studies, narrowing it down to a select handful that he believes needs to be corrected to delve deeper into the field. The first issue is with reviewing the “Journal of Archaeological…

Renfrew and bahn chapter one: The main focus and summary of this chapter is about the history of archaeology, as well as its present form. Archaeology has gone from discovering and finding archaeological material, to developing/applying methods to answer questions about our human past. Thomas Jefferson was the first to have a recorded excavation in 1784. By using methods such as stratigraphy and deductive reasoning, archaeologists of this time were able to touch on the deeper questions of our…

Agency Theory in Archaeology Contemporary archaeological inquiry has situated itself under the umbrella of anthropology, an open marriage to many different ways of analyzing material culture; as it gives insight to both the physical world, as well as the social-cultural world. In this paper, I will discuss some of the beginnings to this union, and specifically the theory of agency as it relates to archaeological analysis. I enter into the debate among archaeology scholars by proposing that the…

Before Binford made his argument that archaeology was holding a backseat in anthropology, and needed to make a necessary transition towards a systematic view of culture, archaeology used a direct historical approach. By studying modern native cultures one could start at the top of each archaeological layer and work down (working the way back in time). Sir Edward B. Tylor represented cultural evolutionism in archaeology. He believed that there was a purpose in the development of society and…

There are five major archaeological paradigms, which include the Speculative Period that took place from 1492-1840, the Classificatory-Descriptive Period that took place from 1840-1914, the Classificatory-Historical Period that took place from 1914-1940, the New (Processual) Period that took place in the 1960’s up to the 1980’s, and the Post-Processualism that took place 1980 and present. During each period there were different interpretations of what archaeology was, there were new ideas of…

Many people commonly associate archaeology with Indiana Jones, a risk taking adventurer who seeks distant lands to gather treasure. Booby traps and aggressive natives also concord with this instinctive fantasy. This is often not at all the case. Archaeologists are attributed to have curiosity, passion, determination and critical thinking skills. They take an unknown area of history and think to ask questions that no one has ever attempted to answer. How an archaeologist excavates an…

research is relevant in today’s world is because it is an explanatory method to understand our world. It is one of the most effective tools that we have that aid in explaining the complex human condition. What creates this strength within anthropology is through its subfields having the capability to use each other’s methodology and research. That being said; anthropologist are tasked with explaining phenomenons that no other discipline can, or desire, to tackle. A precise example of this can…

J. Dennis Robinson’s, Under the Isles of Shoals, is a compelling and carefully constructed narrative that examines the archaeology, history, and ever-evolving mystery of the Isles of Shoals. A steward of Smuttynose Island, (one of the nine islands consisting of the Isles of Shoals), and an author of American history for both young and old readers, Robinson, crafts a stirring narrative based on archaeological research, historical records, oral history, and legends, that satisfies both novice and…