Environmental Archaeology and the Social Order

This original and controversial volume sets a new agenda for the study and understanding of environmental archaeology. Instead of seeing human communities as mapping their activities onto the environment and using it in a cost-effective way, the environment is here seen as a means through which people explore their social world. Environmental Archaeology and the Social Order presents a wide variety of case studies, ranging from the early Palaeolithic to Post-modernity, and from Europe to the Andes, West and East Africa, and the USA. The book deals with both the theory and method of environmental archaeology, with significant sections on Neanderthals, Palaeolithic mobiliary art and the origins of farming, as well as transhumance, climate as social construct, field survey and the place of documents in environmental research. Professor Evans interprets his findings in social constructionist terms, creating an important argument against the use of traditional materialist and processualist paradigms. This innovative and challenging volume sets environmental archaeology within contemporary agency theory, and effectively integrates archaeological science into mainstream archaeological discourse. It should appeal to archaeology students and professionals alike and provide an important new direction for the future of environmental archaeology.