Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is Processual Archaeology?
What is Processual Archaeology?
What does Processual Archaeology focus on?
What does Processual Archaeology focus on?
Behaviour, not ideas
Processual Archaeology believes it is completely objective.
Processual Archaeology believes it is completely objective.
False
Which of the following was traditionally a focus of Processual Archaeology?
Which of the following was traditionally a focus of Processual Archaeology?
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Who is associated with the idea that all people project the present onto the past?
Who is associated with the idea that all people project the present onto the past?
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What is one characteristic of Post-Processual Archaeology?
What is one characteristic of Post-Processual Archaeology?
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Middle-Range Research began in 1970 to develop transformation theories.
Middle-Range Research began in 1970 to develop transformation theories.
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Cultural Ecology is the study of human adaptations to ____ and ____ environments.
Cultural Ecology is the study of human adaptations to ____ and ____ environments.
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Match the following terms with their definitions:
Match the following terms with their definitions:
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What are the three subsystems of culture in Processual Archaeology?
What are the three subsystems of culture in Processual Archaeology?
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What does Good Theory do?
What does Good Theory do?
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Study Notes
Processual Archaeology
- Defined as a scientific approach to archaeology, prioritizing objectivity and generalization, often involving prehistoric cultures.
- Focuses on the explanation and understanding of cultural processes rather than emphasizing ideas or beliefs.
- Traditionally utilizes a deductive scientific method, now also integrating inductive methods for broader insight.
- Maintains a materialist, external perspective that examines cultures in relation to their environmental contexts.
- Centers on behavior as an adaptation for survival, viewing cultural practices through the lens of efficiency and problem-solving.
- Considers culture as a rational adaptation to natural conditions, influenced by scholars like Lewis Binford and Leslie White.
- Asserts the existence of three subsystems of culture: technological, sociological, and ideological, structured in an interdependent manner.
Trading Systems
- Materialist perspective views trading as a means of establishing social ties, focusing on the act rather than specific items exchanged.
- Idealist perspective suggests trading may also serve aesthetic or personal preferences, lacking functional necessity.
Cultural Systems
- Describes culture as a system where technological, sociological, and ideological components interact, often with one influencing another.
- Views human behaviors as largely dictated by environmental and social factors, although some flexibility exists for individual agency.
Post-Processual Archaeology
- Advocates for a humanistic, historical approach to archaeology, emphasizing cultural particulars and relativism.
- Key figures include Mark P. Leone, James Deetz, and Ian Hodder, who reject strict objectivity and acknowledge the subjective nature of interpretation.
- Rejects universal scientific methods in favor of alternative methods such as hermeneutics, which focus on understanding cultures through their contexts.
- Suggests interpretations of archaeological data should evolve through continual reassessment rather than rigid hypotheses.
- Sees culture as a fluid construct, influenced by individual actions and goals despite technological and environmental stability.
Cultural Theory
- Explains the significance of theories, distinguishing between good theories that predict and simplify complex phenomena, and various classes of lower-, middle-, and higher-range theories.
- Highlights that lower-range theories concern chronology, while middle-range theories deal with cultural systems and higher-range theories explain cultural processes.
Cultural Ecology
- Focuses on how human societies adapt to both social and physical environments, introducing technology and environmental interactions as factors shaping social structures.
- Coined by Julian Steward, cultural ecology investigates broader questions about the development and evolution of civilizations.
Methodologies
- Middle-range research aims to create transformation theories that contextualize artifacts to understand past human behavior.
- Experimental archaeology recreates ancient technologies to explore practical methods used historically.
- Ethnoarchaeology studies living communities to draw parallels with archaeological finds, enhancing the understanding of material remains.
Epistemology
- Concerned with the study of knowledge, including the methods through which archaeological facts and interpretations are constructed.
These outlines encapsulate major concepts, approaches, and methodologies in both processual and post-processual archaeology, facilitating a comprehensive understanding of the theories and their application in the field.
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Test your knowledge on key terms and theories in Processual and Post-Processual Archaeology with these flashcards. Each card presents a term along with its definition, helping you understand the scientific approach in archaeology and the concept of objectivity vs. bias. Ideal for students and enthusiasts alike.
