Revisiting Interaction Sphere Theory

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

As both a universal cultural influence and important catalyst for change, diffusion matters. I advocate for the restoration of the Interaction Sphere as a rigorous theoretical means of rehabilitating the concept of diffusion. We begin with the history of this construct in order to place its architects and tenets in their proper developmental context. The formal attributes of this behavioral theory are illustrated using three indigenous North American “circle-maps,” and exemplified through their application to the complex issue of Plaquemine cultural emergence in the Lower Mississippi Valley. I conclude by highlighting the advantages, limitations, and potential of Interaction Sphere Theory.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 37577.0