Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

New Experimental Data On The Distance Of Sling Projectiles, Margaret Y. Brown Vega, Nathan M. Craig

Nathan M Craig

The range of stones cast by slings used in the past is debated. In the Central Andes, slings are asserted to be important weapons of prehispanic war, and have been recovered archaeologically. Rolled river cobbles and stones presumed to be slingstones found at fortified hilltop archaeological sites are presented as evidence that slings were used at these fortifications. Yet sling use has not been adequately tested at hillforts. Experiments conducted in Europe by a novice slinger have attempted to illuminate the range of sling cast stones at ancient hillforts. Data acquired from native slingers is necessary to more accurately assess …

Prehispanic Warfare During The Early Horizon And Late Intermediate Period In The Huaura Valley, Peru, Margaret Brown Vega

Margaret Brown Vega

Discussions of prehispanic warfare entail treatment of the relationship between ritual and war, and inform on interpretations of indigenous fortifications. Ten radiocarbon dates from recent excavations at the fortress of Acaray in the Huaura Valley, Perú, confirm the site was used during two periods: the Early Horizon (ca. 900-200 BC) and the Late Intermediate Period (ca. AD 1000-1470). These two periods are characterized by the construction of fortifications in neighboring valleys on the north coast and in the central highlands. The 23-ha site of Acaray is one of the largest fortified sites known in the near-north-coast area, and it holds …

Contagion And Alterity: Kowoj Maya Appropriations Of European Objects, Timothy W. Pugh

Timothy W Pugh

From initial contact with the Europeans until their conquest (C.E. 1525–1697), the Itza and their political rivals, the Kowoj, dominated Pete´ n, Guatemala. Colonial artifacts at Zacpete´ n record the initial appropriations of European objects by the Kowoj. All such objects rested in ceremonial contexts, indicating that the Kowoj considered them positive sources of sacred power. The Kowoj were in contact with the Spaniards and knew they were the source of the valued materials; hence, the materials also signified otherness. Social elites frequently retained objects obtained from long distances, even those of oppressive colonial groups, as positive contagion. I argue …

Isabelita Rock And Its Archaeological Context, Callejon De Huaylas, Peru, Victor Ponte

Victor Ponte

No abstract provided.

V. Gordon Childe And The Urban Revolution: An Historical Perspective On A Revolution In Urban Studies, Michael E. Smith

Michael E Smith

No abstract provided.

Identification And Dating Of Japanese Glass Beverage Bottles, Douglas Ross

Douglas Ross

Japanese overseas migrants imported a variety of consumer goods from home, goods which have been recovered from Japanese, Chinese, and other archaeological sites. One class of imports granted only limited attention in the archaeological literature is glass beverage bottles, which are easily confused with their North American counterparts. Historical and archaeological data on identification and chronology of Japanese beer, soda, and sake bottles enhance their usefulness in dating sites and interpreting migrant lifeways.

(Re)Building Çatalhöyük: Changing Virtual Reality In Archaeology, Colleen L. Morgan

Colleen L Morgan

Building virtual models of archaeological sites has been seen as a legitimate mode of representing the past, yet these models are too often the end product of a process in which archaeologists have relatively limited engagement. Instead of building static, isolated, uncanny, and authorless reconstructions, I argue for a more active role for archaeologists in virtual reconstruction and address issues of representational accuracy, personal expression in avatars and peopling the virtual past. Interactive virtual worlds such as Second Life provide tools and an environment that archaeologists can use to challenge static modes of representation and increases access to non-expert participants …

Material Life And Socio-Cultural Transformation Among Asian Transmigrants At A Fraser River Salmon Cannery, Douglas Ross

Douglas Ross

This study is a comparison of the material lives of first generation Chinese labourers and Japanese fishermen at a salmon cannery along the Fraser River in British Columbia, ca. 1900-1930. The objective is to explore the nature of cultural persistence and change among migrant groups using a contextual approach that incorporates multiple data sources, considerations of structure and agency, and local and international scales of analysis. Analysis and interpretation are framed within a perspective rooted in the study of material consumption and the twin concepts of transnationalism and diaspora.

Data used in this study are derived from archaeological excavation of …