Towards a Recursive Relationship between Archaeological and Evolutionary Theory

Summary

In 1875, archaeologist Augustus Pitt-Rivers wrote, "History is but another term for evolution." This presentation will explore the development and trajectory of major schools of thought concerning the relevance (or lack thereof) of evolutionary theory to archaeology and examine the current debate about the nature of evolution occurring in the biological sciences. Lactase persistence, for example, has been intensively studied for nearly 30 years, yet new evidence is calling into question when and how lactase persistence emerged. New archaeological, biological and theoretical approaches are rewriting and refining our understanding of this history. Using this and other examples related to histories of food tolerance and intolerance, I will explore ways that archaeology can and should contribute to an evolutionary theory where research on human history and long-term social change play a foundational role.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

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

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 21619