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Accepted Paper:
Jerome Lewis (University College London)
Paper short abstract:
By examining some of the premises underpinning popular archaeological models of hunter-gatherer societies this paper will critique the dominance of Optimal Foraging Strategy and related explanations of hunter-gatherer motivations and behaviour with evidence from recent ethnography and anthropological theory. In particular the significance and usefulness to archaeologists of recognising distinctions based on power rather than on presumed economic motivations will be elaborated in an effort to suggest what are likely to be more accurate and theoretically productive historical analogies for understanding human evolution during our hunting and gathering past.
Paper long abstract:
By examining some of the premises underpinning popular archaeological models of hunter-gatherer societies this paper will critique the dominance of Optimal Foraging Strategy and related explanations of hunter-gatherer motivations and behaviour with evidence from recent ethnography and anthropological theory. In particular the significance and usefulness to archaeologists of recognising distinctions based on power rather than on presumed economic motivations will be elaborated in an effort to suggest what are likely to be more accurate and theoretically productive historical analogies for understanding human evolution during our hunting and gathering past.
Anthropology, archaeology and human origins: returning to 'big questions'
Session 1