The projectile point in perspective : a review of classification systems, consistency, and context regarding the dart-arrow dichotomy in North American archaeology
The sorting of artefacts into categories for study represents simultaneously one of the most important â and yet one of the most problematic â tasks in archaeology. In an ideal world, the archaeological record would comprise clearly-defined and easily-separable groups of material for consistent identification and interpretation; the reality, though, is somewhat different. Here, in a systematic review of associated classification systems, the long-standing dart-arrow dichotomy in North American archaeology provides valuable insight into the relationship between classificatory idealism and practical reality, and, in-so-doing, lends itself to a much-needed reassessment of technological change. As the results derived from different study areas using different classification analyses make clear, traditional assumptions of a consistent large dart, small arrow point divide are far too simplistic, overlook the importance of individual context, and obscure the deeper complexities of human technological adaptation. Although a necessary and inevitable part of the interpretive process, thus, artefact classification must be approached in a more reflexive manner if the results derived are to provide meaningful insight
Davies, Danielle
The projectile point in perspective : a review of classification systems, consistency, and context regarding the dart-arrow dichotomy in North American archaeology. The sorting of artefacts into categories for study represents simultaneously one of the most important â and yet one of the most problematic â tasks in archaeology. In an ideal world, the archaeological record would comprise clearly-defined and easily-separable groups of material for consistent identification and interpretation; the reality, though, is somewhat different. Here, in a systematic review of associated classification systems, the long-standing dart-arrow dichotomy in North American archaeology provides valuable insight into the relationship between classificatory idealism and practical reality, and, in-so-doing, lends itself to a much-needed reassessment of technological change. As the results derived from different study areas using different classification analyses make clear, traditional assumptions of a consistent large dart, small arrow point divide are far too simplistic, overlook the importance of individual context, and obscure the deeper complexities of human technological adaptation. Although a necessary and inevitable part of the interpretive process, thus, artefact classification must be approached in a more reflexive manner if the results derived are to provide meaningful insight
projectile point perspective review classification_system consistency context regard arrow dichotomy north_american archaeology sort artefact_category study represent simultaneously one_important yet problematic task archaeology ideal world archaeological_record would comprise clearly defined easily separable group material consistent identification_interpretation reality though somewhat different systematic_review associate classification_system long_standing arrow dichotomy north_american archaeology provide_valuable insight relationship classificatory idealism practical reality lend much reassessment technological_change derive different study_area use different classification analysis make_clear traditional assumption consistent large small arrow point divide far simplistic overlook importance individual context obscure deep complexity human technological adaptation although necessary inevitable part interpretive process thus artefact classification must approach reflexive manner derive provide meaningful insight