The Archaeology and Historical Ecology of Small Scale Economies
The Archaeology and Historical Ecology of Small Scale Economies
Most research into humans’ impact on the environment has focused on large-scale societies; a corollary assumption has been that small scale economies are sustainable and in harmony with nature. The contributors to this volume challenge this notion, revealing how such communities shaped their environment—and not always in a positive way.
Offering case studies from around the world—from Brazil to Japan, Denmark to the Rocky Mountains—the chapters empirically demonstrate the substantial transformations of the surrounding landscape made by hunter-gatherer and limited horticultural societies. Summarizing previous research as well as presenting new data, this book shows that the environmental impact and legacy of societies are not always proportional their size.
Understanding that our species leaves a footprint wherever it has been leads to both a better understanding of our prehistoric past and to deeper implications for our future relationship to the world around us.
Contributors: Victor D. Thompson | James C. Waggoner Jr | William Balée | Nicholas H. Beale | Paulo DeBlasis | Chester B. DePratter | Paul R. Fish | Suzanne K. Fish | Maria Dulce Gaspar | Patricia A. Gilman | Junko Habu | Mark E. Hall | Tristram R. Kidder | Nicky Milner | Steven C. Pennings | Torben C. Rick | Elizabeth M. Toney | John A. Turck | María Nieves Zedeño
An excellent contribution. . . . It offers a unique perspective on the range of historical ecological studies and the future direction of the discipline.’—Journal of Anthropological Research ‘The editors focus on exactly how human‒environment processes are disentangled which, they argue, is the key to addressing broader issues. . . . A valuable addition to the practice of historical ecology.’—Cambridge Archaeological Journal ‘A very important collection. . . . The disciplined study of small-scale societies is a valuable framework that tests notions of environmental determinism, and will revise theories about human resilience, cultural development, and the ‘sense of place’ of premodern peoples.’—Geoarchaeology ‘Through a well-selected range of case studies, this volume will appeal to those searching for examples of the application of the historical ecology approach in a wide range of places and time periods, or looking for new ways to analyze their data.’—Archaeological Review from Cambridge ‘Highly recommended.’—North American Archaeologist
Victor D. Thompson is professor of archaeology and director of the Center for Archaeological Sciences at the University of Georgia. He is coauthor of New Histories of Village Life at Crystal River and coeditor of The Archaeology of Villages in Eastern North America. James C. Waggoner Jr. (1971–2009) conducted archaeological research in the southeastern United States.
