Behavioural archaeology
[4] The strategies outlined by Schiffer and his colleagues have developed into sub-disciplines or methodologies that are used and well-regarded in contemporary archaeological practise.
We contend that the expansion of archaeology into little-explored domains is an expectable outcome of several long-term processes operating in the discipline.
[1] Leading up to the publication, archaeology as a discipline was expanding in its practice and theory due to the specialisation of various areas and new ideas that were being presented to the community.
[4] The paper aimed to address the gaps within the processualist tradition and improve idea presented in processual archaeology, particularly those by James N. Hill and William A.
[1][5] They show that the fundamental concepts of archaeology can be represented as the relations between material culture and human behaviour.
[11] This allows archaeologists to discern the most appropriate line of questioning regarding the material culture and how it relates to human behaviour.
[1] These questions can include ones that involve the population of specific peoples, the occupation of a certain site or the resources that were used by humans at a certain location.
[2] Strategy 2 looks at how present material culture can provide archaeologists with information regarding past human behaviour.
[8] It is often used to recreate the practises and technologies of past societies in order to understand how they operated and the strategic decisions made.
[4][8] Strategy 3 concerns itself with studying past material culture in order to answer questions about present human behaviour.
[1] The past is often seen to be separate from the present, however, Michael Schiffer challenges this by examining how ancient cultures are relevant to modern social problems and issues.
[1] Most notably, Martin is credited with the theory known as the 'overkill hypothesis' theorising that humans lead to the rapid extinction of prehistoric animals.
Although this theory is considered to be controversial, this can be seen as an example of how humans adapt to rising population, a situation that plagues modern society.
[1] This strategy seeks to ask specific questions about ongoing societies such as the consumption of goods by certain groups of people.
[12] At this forum, researchers such as Michael J. O'Brien, Alexander Bentley, Robert L. Kelly, Linda S. Cordell, Stephen Plog, and Diane Gifford-Gonzales discussed and raised issues about behavioural archaeology.
[13] For example, when examining changes within technology in the archaeological record, inferences can be made surrounding diet, environmental and social factors within human society.
[1] Schiffer himself in 1990 and 1987 conducted research surrounding the properties of ceramics in order to understand the decisions of craftsmen when creating these objects.
[3] Lewis Binford suggests using the methods of behavioural archaeology in order to avoid viewing material culture in this stagnant way.
For example, in Bonna D. Wescoat's book, lamps found in different archaeological excavation sites "have been taken to confirm nocturnal timing".
[18] There was much discussion and deliberation before the academic community as a whole agreed that what was found was a lamp and that its function was to act as a light-bringer during the night.
[4] All four strategies have been significant in expanding the thought process surrounding material culture and human behaviour in various contexts.
[4] Additionally, it is significant to archaeology as it places importance on creating principles or establishing relationships between human behaviour and material culture.
