Hunter-Gatherer Economy in Prehistory: A European PerspectiveGeoff Bailey It has been said that for 99 per cent of their cultural history human societies have made their living through the collection of wild resources. It is therefore perhaps not surprising that the study of hunters and gatherers has become an increasingly popular and central topic of research. Within archaeology it has created an international focus for people working in many different areas of the world. At the same time it has provided a meeting ground for a range of disciplines, all concerned in one way or another with aspects of human behaviour. However, analysis of the prehistoric record has inevitably lagged behind the development of fresh theoretical perspectives. Hunter-gatherer economy in prehistory seeks to bridge this gap by combining the discussion of recent developments in ecological and social theory with the analysis of prehistoric data from many of the classic areas of palaeolithic studies in Europe. |
Contents
problems of theory and method | 7 |
Time budgeting and huntergatherer technology | 17 |
Mortality models and the interpretation of horse | 23 |
The calculation and interpretation of ungulate | 47 |
Part | 59 |
Site variability and prehistoric economy | 79 |
Boreal phase settlementsubsistence models | 96 |
the Ertebølle example | 111 |
Part three | 127 |
Economic change in Late Pleistocene Cantabria | 149 |
Further reflections on adaptive change in Cantabrian | 166 |
Part four | 187 |
Culture and society in the Upper Palaeolithic of Europe | 201 |
Palaeolithic cave art in ecological perspective | 212 |
Cambridge | 225 |
Common terms and phrases
activities analysis animals appear archaeological artefacts assemblage Asturian Aurignacian behaviour bones bovids Cantabrian cave changes chapter Clark climatic coast coastal complex crown height culture deposits discussed distance distribution early economic effects environment environmental estimate evidence example exploitation exploitation territories factors faunal figure function further given glacial greater groups horse human hunter-gatherer hunters hunting ibex important increase indicate individuals interpretation Late layer less limited lower Magdalenian major material means measure mobility Mousterian natural occupation occur particular patterns period Pleistocene population possible potential prehistoric present probably problems range red deer regional relationship relatively remains represented result sample seasonal settlement similar social Solutrean species strategies structure subsistence suggests teeth types unit Upper Palaeolithic variability variation Würm zones