Tom Wheaton's latest post is espousing George Miller's ideas regarding the use
 of an EMIC typology, whereas others are arguing for an ETIC typology. I have
 found that functional typologies (at least attempting to be EMIC ones) are best
 for answering the humanistic questions, whereas the descriptive typologies
 (etic) are best for scientific questions. It just depends on what we are asking
 of our data. Neither approach is better or worse, as such. I am interested in
 how people set their tables and what vessels were used for what purposes. But,
 I am also interested in the nuances of dating a site and identifying where the
 ceramics were made. To do this requires using both kinds of typologies and
 doing two sets of analyses.
 
 
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