Introduction to Archaeology – Chapter 2 - The Structure of Archaeological Inquiry

I. Introduction

A. What is Anthropology

The study of humans past and present

B. The Four Sub-Disciplines

1. Physical- The discipline of the physical anthropology seeks to

understand the biological nature of humans.

2. Cultural- Based on the assumption that there are definable principles

of social order with make widely diverse cultures both meaningful to their
memebers and amenable to scientific inquiry

3. Linguistic-

4. Archaeology

C. The Concept of Culture

1. Characteristics of Culture

-study culture two basic ways: ideational perspective and adaptive

perspective

-ideational perspective

-adaptive perspective

2. Example: Kwakiutl Potlatch

II. Science in Archaeology

A. Characteristics

1. Objective

2. Systematic

3. Logical

4. Explanatory and predictive

 5. Self-critical and based on testing

6. Public

Does there need to be inherent conflict between science and religion?

7. Example: Eastern mound

B. The Scientific Method

1. Stages

- 2. Inductive and deductive reasoning –

III. Levels of Archaeological Theory

A. Low level

B. Mid level

C. High level

IV. Archaeological Paradigms

A. Processual

B. Post processual

C. Processual