Ethnoarchaeology and the organization of lithic technology

Citation: McCall, G.S. (2012) Ethnoarchaeology and the organization of lithic technology. Journal of Archaeological Research (RSS)
Internet Archive Scholar (search for fulltext): Ethnoarchaeology and the organization of lithic technology
Download: http://link.springer.com.offcampus.lib.washington.edu/article/10.1007/s10814-011-9056-z/fulltext.html
Tagged: ethnoarchaeology (RSS), lithics (RSS), lithic technology (RSS)

Summary

This was a mostly theory based paper that discussed the importance of organization principles in lithic analysis, specifically for ethnoarchaeology. McCall goes through the significance of ethnoarchaeology and why it is useful, as well as the importance and history of experimental archaeology when it comes to experimental knapping. He then discusses several definitions of curation, ending with his own, which he states is the preserving of tools to be used at a future time. McCall also discusses the design theory framework, which is an important aspect of his organizational approach to lithic technology. This framework views lithic technology as the best response to economic demands. He also stresses the importance of a comparative perspective, which, he argues, should be used as a basis for understanding the causes of stone tool use patterns. To emphasize the importance of a comparative view, he exemplifies a number case studies that are examples of different raw material gathering techniques, social uses of tools, environment, and economic systems. The different cultures he calls upon this example are the Gamo and Konso of southern and central Ethiopia, the Siberian Chukchi, highland New Guinea, highland Maya of Guatemala and Mexico, central, northern, and western arid regions of Australia, the Tjmba of norther Namibia, and the Xeta of Amazonia. No one case can be explained by any one variable, so a comparative view is important for analysis. McCall then describes the chaîne opératoire and explains that it can be useful for the organizational approach. He then dives in to his main case study, which is of Acheulean hand axes. He discusses the strange phenomenon that occurs with these tools, namely that they seem to be either heavily prominent in a site, or missing entirely. Two examples of this from Europe are Boxgrove, which had a dense collection of Acheulean hand axes, and Clacton, which is famous for not having any at all.

Theoretical and Practical Relevance

McCall discussed several ideas put forth by other academics and used them to build on top of and develop his own frameworks and models Namely he uses ethnoarchaeology for a good amount of his case studies, as was as discusses experimental knapping. He also, importantly, discusses the chaîne opératoire and how his organizational approach can build on top of that.