Symbolic and Structural Archaeology

Hodder, Ian (ed)

ISBN 10: 0521244064 / ISBN 13: 9780521244060

Published by Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England, 1982

About this Item

188pp.incl.index; HB brwn.w/white; some rub w/spine sunned; wear on edges&corners; clean,tight pgs. " .aims to encourage debate about basic issues in archaeology and to identify questions and challenge assumptions." illus. Part of 'New Directions in Archaeology'.

Seller Inventory # 031884

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Symbolic and Structural Archaeology
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England
• Publication Date: 1982
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0521244064
• ISBN 13: 9780521244060
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st
• Condition: Very Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket
• Seller catalogs:
  • Stan

About this title

Synopsis

This volume presents a searching critique of the more traditional archaeological methodologies and interpretation strategies and lays down a firm philosophical and theoretical basis for symbolist and structuralist studies in archaeology. A variety of procedures, ranging from ethnoarchaeological studies and computing techniques to formal studies of artefact design variability, are utilized to provide models for archaeologists within the proposed framework and the theory and models are then applied to a range of archaeological analyses. This particular approach sees all human actions as being meaningfully constituted within a social and cultural framework. Material culture is not simply an adaptive tool, but is structured according to sets of underlying principles which give meaning to, and derive meanings from, the social world. Thus structural regularities are shown to link seemingly disparate aspects of material culture, from funerary monuments to artefact design, from the use of space in settlements, to the form of economic practices.

Book Description

This volume presents a searching critique of the more traditional archaeological methodologies and interpretation strategies and lays down a firm philosophical and theoretical basis for symbolist and structuralist studies in archaeology.