Ethnoarchaeology AIMS explain behavioral traditions of early human past, by discovering irregularities in contemporary present. MLK Murty.
Its basic principle is using analogy of present to explain the past like comma traditions, material culture, substance, land use, settlements, craft specialisation, trade networks, rituals and so on. But it should also be backed up by non analogical grounds.
C Sinopoli. 1991.
Main topics.
Site formation and depositional process.
Studying traditional technologies and community settlement patterns.
Human environment relation.
Material implications of social systems, ideologies and beliefs.
Studies. Pick one.
Paddya 1981. Acheulian culture of hunsgi baichbal valley. argued that groups gathered around the area in dry season and dispersed during wet season. Like chenchus of Krishna Valley.
Shanti Pappu korttallayar basin Tamil Nadu 1997. Explained middle and late pleistocene culture behaviour through ethnographic study of irulas hunter gatherers. Postulated that they had sedentary multi family residential bases.
Kirti Jain 1993 coastal ecology study. Focus on Son Kolis. documented their fishing knowledge, technology, settlements, traditions religion and social political organisation. Her study showed historic process through which Marine fishing groups adapted and rescheduled their strategies.
Cooper 1994 Andaman Islands. Onge studied and explain formation of shell middens.
Murty studied hafting, fishing tools, harpoons and traps of present communities to draw parallel to upper paleolithic and mesolithic blade tools.
Murty 1980. Documented birappa legends of kuruva pastoralists of Andhra Pradesh to understand origin of pastoralism origin in 3rd millennium BC.
Mishra 1994 Rajasthan. Studied symbiotic Association of different groups jats agriculturalists, rabaries breeders of camels, potters carpenters and hunting community Van Vagris nomads.
Malti Nagar 1970 studied ahar culture of chacolithic complex of Ahar culture banas Valley which is similar to to present a pottery in the region. She noted that design garments of bhil women are similar to designs of ahar pottery. Provided understanding of regional traditions and craft specialisation.
Ansari studied mesolithic and chalcolithic culture of Ganga and belan Valley with current tribes in the region kol and Mallah. Studied their settlements, architecture, food refuse etc.
Art and craft. Saraswati 1978 studied potters, stone workers, metal casters in South Asia to study relationship between producers and consumers and their distribution and exchange system. This explains archaeological distribution of materials. Concluded that at North Indian pottery has continued from Harappan times till present.
Criticism
Cannot make generalisation from single case. C Sinopoli. 1991
Should not view India as static and tribal culture is always changing.
Material parallel do not always demonstrate social cultural and behavioral parallel. Allchin 1985.
The environment has also changed.
So, ethnoarchaeology is not a blue print for the past but a framework to understand the past.