Behavior from Spatial Structure in Archaeological Sites: A Working Model Based on Dukha Ethnography

Summary

Archaeologists commonly observe clear qualitative structure in the spatial distribution of artifacts deposited in archaeological sites. Quantification and interpretation of such structure remains a major challenge. Drawing on multiple field seasons of observation among the Dukha—residentially mobile reindeer herders of the Mongolian Taiga—we present a likelihood based method for quantifying site-level structure in the use of space. This ideal ethnographic case in which behavior-structure relationships are well defined, allows us to explore the extent to which behavioral inferences may be derived from archaeological structure. Behaviors of particular interest here include general activity types and seasonality of occupation.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 18823