Principles of archaeological stratigraphy, 2nd ed., Edward C. Harris, 1989, academic press, xiv + 170 pp., $39.95 (clothbound)
✍ Scribed by Julie K. Stein; Angela R. Linse
- Book ID
- 102225974
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1992
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 391 KB
- Volume
- 7
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0883-6353
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
quarried and surface-collected raw materials (on the basis of evidence provided in this volume) are largely attributable to gravels existing in alluvial settings or in conglomerates.
Several of the chapters, but especially the one dealing with the effects of local availability on selection and economy in the Paleolithic, by Marks, Shokler,, caution researchers in making archaeological interpretations that "local availability of raw materials" is usually consistent with preference and therefore reflects a higher degree of usage in any archaeological site. In fact, most of the findings presented here provide evidence contrary to that rather uniformly held concept in archaeology.
For those in the United States who may be surprised that the possibility of systematic networks existed for acquisition, transport, and trade of lithic materials during the Clovis period over great distances, it will be enlightening to learn that such systems existed in Europe during the Gravettian (Janusz Koslowski, p. 1941, and that "long distance movement of good quality lithics within central Europe has been well documented beginning at least with the Late Middle Paleolithic" (Anta Montet-White, p.
205).
While some geological aspects of this volume may be on the weak side, the book represents contributions of some of the more authoritative archeologists working in this specialized arena in Europe and the United States. The volume will be a good addition to any library, and is a must for researchers working in the subject of lithic resources in economic anthropology.