1. Organization of Societies*
Archaeology Essentials
Renfrew & Bahn, 2nd Ed.
Chapter 5
* Key Concepts, pg. 143

2. Ethnoarchaeology
Ethnographic Analogy: cross-cultural studies of living societies to help interpret the past.
In recent studies a "bottom-up" perspective in social archaeologies has become
important: the archaeology of individuals and of identity. Gender studies in particular
are now adding new insight into the structure of society.
“Human Relations Area Files, Inc. (HRAF) is an internationally recognized organization
in the field of cultural anthropology. Founded in 1949 at Yale University, HRAF is a
not-for-profit membership consortium of universities, colleges, and research institutions.
Its mission is to provide information that facilitates the cross-cultural study of human
behavior, society and culture.”

3. Settlement Pattern Analysis
Defines the extent of the society
Written records, when they exist, are an important resource.
Archaeological Survey can include aerial imagery, satellite imagery
topographic analysis and intrusive testing.
The extent of cultivation, hunting activities, and harvesting of resources
all extend the areas of influence and utilization.
Settlement Analysis
Burial Analysis
Monuments and Public Works
Written Records

4. State
For ranked or stratified societies (chiefdoms and states), the study of the buildings and other evidence of administration at the center gives valuable information about the social, political, and economic organization of society, as well as a picture of the life of the ruling elite. We can identify and analyze their palaces and tombs, and studies of lower-order administrative centers give further information about the social and political structure.
The study of the differences in the treatment accorded to different individuals at death, in both the size and wealth of grave offerings, can reveal the complete range of status distinctions in a society.
Cities
Public infrastructure, services
Often a ruling class
High degree of Craft Specialization
Taxes are the common method of redistribution

5. Chiefdom
Ranked society with craft specialization, agriculture and a ruling hierarchy.
Leadership is often inherited. Lineages (descent from a common, sometimes
fictive, ancestor) are common.
Obligatory contributions to the Chief and redistribution of goods are
characteristic of this level of organization.

6. Segmentary Society Also called Tribe
Similar approaches may be applied to segmentary societies: the study of individual
settlements, the evidence for social ranking revealed by burials, and the existence
of cooperative communal mechanisms for the construction of major monuments.
Agricultural Homesteads
Villages
Either dispersed or nucleated pattern

7. Band
Egalitarian Leadership, acquired through merit and usually situational
On a smaller scale (and particularly important for the Paleolithic period),
the camps of mobile hunter-gatherer societies and the seasonal movement
between different sites may also be studied using the methods outlined in
this chapter, especially when the insights provided by ethnoarchaeological
research on living societies are used in conjunction with direct study of
the archaeological record. Prior to 12,000 year BP, all societies were foragers,
organized at the band-level
Camp Sites
Kill Sites
Work Sites

8. Components and Assemblages
Assemblage: Group of artifacts representing the sum of human activity
Component: an assemblage of artifacts, along with its features representing a
specific cultural occupation.
UPPER STRATA ARTIFACTS: Bronze stirrups, earthenware jar sherds, broken pieces of
squared stone with words engraved on them, bronze swords and spear points.
UPPER STRATA FEATURES: Footings for large stone buildings, cobbled roadways, burials
with grave goods (gold, silver and glass beads, rings, bracelets), large brick ovens.
MIDDLE STRATA ARTIFACTS: Copper axes, ground stone axes and hammers, broken
and whole terra cotta bowls and cups, small clay figurines.
MIDDLE STRATA FEATURES: Clay brick footings for dwellings, many associated fire pits,
Clay ovens.
LOWER STRATA ARTIFACTS: Flint scrapers, projectile points, knives, carved shell beads,
Animal bones, flint flakes (debitage), natural round hammer stones, grinding stones.
LOWER STRATA FEATURES: Post holes arranged in elongated ovals, stone hearths
with fire-cracked rock, human burials with no grave goods (flexed skeletons on left side)

9. Analysis of Social Structure
Settlement Pattern
Burial analysis
Monuments and Public Works
Written Records
UPPER STRATA ARTIFACTS: Bronze stirrups, earthenware jar sherds, broken pieces of
squared stone with words engraved on them, bronze swords and spear points.
UPPER STRATA FEATURES: Footings for large stone buildings, cobbled roadways, burials
with grave goods (gold, silver and glass beads, rings, bracelets), large brick ovens.
MIDDLE STRATA ARTIFACTS: Copper axes, ground stone axes and hammers, broken
and whole terra cotta bowls and cups, small clay figurines.
MIDDLE STRATA FEATURES: Clay brick footings for dwellings, many associated fire pits,
Clay ovens.
LOWER STRATA ARTIFACTS: Flint scrapers, projectile points, knives, carved shell beads,
Animal bones, flint flakes (debitage), natural round hammer stones, grinding stones.
LOWER STRATA FEATURES: Post holes arranged in elongated ovals, stone hearths
with fire-cracked rock, human burials with no grave goods (flexed skeletons on left side)