Ethnoarchaeology of pastoralism in arid lands : a particularistic approach
This thesis is aimed at investigating the issue of visibility of pastoral sites and landscape, and at improving our overall understanding of arid lands pastoralism as an eco-anthropological issue. This research was motivated by the recognition that ethnographic sources are extremely vague and unclear regarding the topic of pastoralistsâ adaptation to marginal environments. Ethnographic literature is mostly characterized by the description of static and uniform situations where âmodelsâ prevail over the ârealityâ. Unfortunately, archaeological reconstructions of the development of Holocene Saharan culture tend to refer rather uncritically to those models, providing unsatisfactory explanations. I argue that the actuality of pastoral societies is far more intricate than the classificatory systems traditionally adopted to describe it. My investigation therefore has questioned the validity of using normative models, and has used new field data to study the extent (and location) of medium and short term variability in pastoral practices within a single group. The results from the study of the Kel Tadrart have paved the way to a deep reconsideration of human frequentation in the Acacus range in historical
Biagetti, S.
Ethnoarchaeology of pastoralism in arid lands : a particularistic approach. This thesis is aimed at investigating the issue of visibility of pastoral sites and landscape, and at improving our overall understanding of arid lands pastoralism as an eco-anthropological issue. This research was motivated by the recognition that ethnographic sources are extremely vague and unclear regarding the topic of pastoralistsâ adaptation to marginal environments. Ethnographic literature is mostly characterized by the description of static and uniform situations where âmodelsâ prevail over the ârealityâ. Unfortunately, archaeological reconstructions of the development of Holocene Saharan culture tend to refer rather uncritically to those models, providing unsatisfactory explanations. I argue that the actuality of pastoral societies is far more intricate than the classificatory systems traditionally adopted to describe it. My investigation therefore has questioned the validity of using normative models, and has used new field data to study the extent (and location) of medium and short term variability in pastoral practices within a single group. The results from the study of the Kel Tadrart have paved the way to a deep reconsideration of human frequentation in the Acacus range in historical
ethnoarchaeology pastoralism arid land approach aim investigating issue visibility pastoral site landscape improve overall arid land pastoralism eco anthropological issue motivate recognition ethnographic source extremely vague unclear regard topic pastoralists adaptation marginal environment ethnographic literature mostly characterize description static uniform situation model prevail reality unfortunately archaeological_reconstruction development holocene saharan culture tend refer rather model provide unsatisfactory explanation argue actuality pastoral society far intricate classificatory_system traditionally adopt describe investigation therefore question_validity use normative model use new field data study extent location medium short_term variability pastoral practice within_single group study pave way deep reconsideration human range historical