More Than Shelter from the Storm: Hunter-Gatherer Houses and the Built Environment

This collection contains the abstracts of the papers presented in the session entitled "More Than Shelter from the Storm: Hunter-Gatherer Houses and the Built Environment," at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

The central role of the built environment and the importance of architecture for structuring cultural patterns and behaviors are well known for complex societies. In contrast, hunter-gatherer’s relationship to the built environment, particularly mobile hunter-gatherers, is not often discussed outside of utilitarian shelters. This session explores the diversity of hunter-gatherer interaction with the built environment including how structures are constructed, used, and the social and symbolic importance of architecture within these communities. This session takes a broad, cross-cultural approach to understanding hunter-gatherer houses, exploring the use of architecture across time and space.