Paradigms Shift: New Interpretations in Mainland Southeast Asian Archaeology

This collection contains the abstracts of the papers presented in the session entitled "Paradigms Shift: New Interpretations in Mainland Southeast Asian Archaeology," at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Paradigms Shift: New Interpretations in Mainland Southeast Asian Archaeology

Over the past 20 years or more paradigmatic changes have led to new interpretations in prehistoric and historic Mainland Southeast Asian (MSEA) research, ranging from long-term field projects to cutting-edge laboratory analyses. These new interpretations are reshaping how we look at human adaptation and cultural development across this vast region. New insights include: roles of migration and demography in shaping regional population history; technology and economic organization of metal and ceramic production; and evidence for hitherto unappreciated subsistence diversity. Papers in this session synthesize and reevaluate recent developments in research fields including bioarchaeology, faunal analysis, archaeobotany, chronological revision, small finds analysis, the technology and organization of productive systems and their related exchange networks, and finally the rise, functioning and collapse of empire. Recently, developments in these research foci have significantly improved our understanding of the complex culture area that is MSEA and, over time, have prompted theoretical paradigm shifts of their own. Our intent here is to highlight the recent methodological and interpretational shifts in these areas and to explore current and future research pathways across the greater region.