Unit 1
Archaeology and Anthropology

Overview

The contemporary study of archaeology is linked inextricably with the discipline of anthropology and is rooted in established scientific methods. Anthropologists are concerned with culture as it is shared and expressed by a society. Archaeology, a subdiscipline of anthropology, is largely concerned with the study of past cultures. The methods used and goals set by archaeologists in their efforts to illuminate past cultures are introduced in Unit 1 as a prelude to an in-depth examination of these methods and goals throughout the remainder of the course.

1.1 Introduction to Archaeology

Introduction

This section introduces you to the discipline of archaeology through a discussion of the work of individuals who have contributed to its development. Both the scientific and the humanistic components of the discipline are discussed.

Objectives

When you have completed this section, you should be able to

1. outline the development of the Western concept of the past.
2. define “Americanist archaeology.”
3. distinguish between history, paleontology, and archaeology.
4. describe the importance of Kennewick Man to American archaeology.
5. describe the contributions made by the people identified in the course textbook to the development of method and theory in archaeology.
6. discuss the significance of the culture concept in anthropology.
7. describe how the three views of culture can be applied to analyze the potlatch.
8. distinguish between “ideational” and “adaptive” research strategies.
9. outline the differences between the United States and Canada in the development of archaeology.
10. identify the “vacant core” in Canadian anthropology, and describe how this affects the study of archaeology.
11. identify the forces that threaten to separate archaeology and anthropology in Canada.
12. discuss the contributions of individuals and institutions in Canada to archaeology.

1.2 Science, Humanism, and Archaeological Theory

Introduction

This section provides a review of the scientific method and modern evolutionary approaches in archaeology. It also discusses a significant shift in archaeological method and theory, that is, a renewed appreciation for humanistic interpretation and a movement away from the determination of universal laws.

Objectives

When you have completed this section, you should be able to

1. describe the components of the scientific method.
2. compare the various points of view in the “Moundbuilder myth.”
3. describe how Adolph Bandelier incorporated both humanistic and scientific approaches in his work.
4. compare the three levels of archaeological theory.
5. discuss the premises of cultural materialism and postmodernism.
6. outline the characteristics of postprocessual archaeology.
7. outline the development of evolutionary theory in anthropology.
8. describe four theories of the development of plant and animal domestication.
9. describe four theories of the rise of the state.
10. distinguish between unilineal and modern evolutionism.
11. define the term “deconstruction” using the Maya civilization as an example.
12. describe the “processual-plus” approach.