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G
ustavo
G. P
olitis
Reflections on Contemporary Ethnoarchaeology
56
PYRENAE,
núm.
46
vol.
1
(2015)
ISSN: 0079-8215 EISSN: 2339-9171 (p. 41-83)
tendencies are tied to the material effects of behavior and their respective properties (that
is, density, variability, and so on), but while the first one attempts to establish unambi-
guous relationships and strong cross-cultural regularities, the second one is directed toward
understanding under what conditions (social and ideational, as well as material) one can
expect certain kinds of archeological records. This second tendency values the usefulness
of context-specific cultural particulars, and explores the continuity of meanings attached
to specific symbols and icons (see discussion in Saunders, 1998). The ethnoarchaeological
study of symbolic, cosmological, and even ontological issues has been incorporated into
this line of research through material derivatives in egalitarian societies such as Amazonian
hunter-gatherers (fig. 4) (Politis and Saunders, 2002; Politis, 2007; González-Ruibal
et al
.,
2011), and Andean native people, both agriculturists and herders (Haber, 2001; Kuznar,
2001; Nielsen, 2000) (fig. 5) and lowland villagers (Frías, 1993; Silva, 2000, 2008).
The third trend is represented by a group of research projects that focus on collecting
ethnoarchaeological data to reconstruct the historical processes of present-day Indians
(Heckenberger, 1996; Heckenberger
et al
., 1999; Wüst, 1998; Wüst and Barreto, 1999;
Oliveira, 1996). This has its antecedent in the classic article by Steward (1942), which dis-
cusses the historical approach to archaeology, and is closely allied to what has been called
Fig. 4.
An instant for archaeological interpretation: what is left behind when a camp is abandoned? The photo shows the very
moment when the Nukak (Colombian Amazon) start placing their belongings into the baskets in order to move to a new area and build
a new camp. Although children are just watching rather than helping, they are really helpful during the trip. 1996. Photo of the author.