A Critical Reassessment of Cultural Taxonomies in the Central European Late Palaeolithic
Sauer F, Riede F (2019)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2019
Journal
Book Volume: 26
Pages Range: 155-184
Journal Issue: 1
DOI: 10.1007/s10816-018-9368-0
Abstract
In the analysis of archaeological relationships and processes, a uniform classification of the dataset is a fundamental requirement. To achieve this, a standardised taxonomic system, as well as consistent and valid criteria for the grouping of sites and assemblages, must be used. The Central European Late Palaeolithic (ca. 12,000-9700cal BC) has a long research history and many regionally and temporally specific unitsgroups and culturesare recognised. In this paper, we examine the complex taxonomic landscape of this period and critically analyse the use of typological, functional and economic criteria in the definition of selected groups. We subject three different archaeological taxonomic units, the Bromme culture from Denmark, the Furstein group from Switzerland and the Atzenhof group from Germany, to particularly detailed scrutiny and highlight that the classificatory criteria used in their definition are inconsistent across units and most likely unsuitable for circumscribing past sociocultural units. We suggest a comprehensive re-examination of the overarching taxonomic system for the Late Palaeolithic, as well as a re-evaluation of the methodologies used to delineate sociocultural units in the Palaeolithic.
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Denmark (DK)How to cite
APA:
Sauer, F., & Riede, F. (2019). A Critical Reassessment of Cultural Taxonomies in the Central European Late Palaeolithic. Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, 26(1), 155-184. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10816-018-9368-0
MLA:
Sauer, Florian, and Felix Riede. "A Critical Reassessment of Cultural Taxonomies in the Central European Late Palaeolithic." Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory 26.1 (2019): 155-184.
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