Dear Mary Ellin,
Thank you for your reply. It is unclear to me whether my original post
ever made it to the list but one of my queries was simply for ANY archaeological
discussion on feasts, evidence of feasts, etc. I would be very interested in
reading the discussion of the excavated remains of ceremonial meals, etc.
("potlatch" and so on) here in the United States. The Pacific Northwest, most
particularly (I am familiar with the many of the standard works). My reason
for this is simple interest in seeing how people discuss such sites. I am
interested in the theorectical tools used in
analysis of such sites if they exist and the scientific analysis of any food
residues. I am already very familiar with my own field--China--and find the
online discussions rather limited at this point. That is why I am branching
out after having lurked for a long time. Sorry, if this all seems a waste of
time. C. Cook
>Constance,
>I fear you have run afoul of an ongoing issue in the many definitions of
>Historical Archaeology. This list (mainly) concentrates on historical
>archaeology as it is practiced in the United States. While I would like to
>see the broader perspective here, I think you will get more response from
>the general archaeology lists and/or lists focusing on your geographic area.
>Mary Ellin D'Agostino
>[log in to unmask]
>
>At 01:24 PM 9/5/96 -0400, you wrote:
>>>Constance,
>>>
>>>A query such as yours should be directed to the ARCH-L list, not Histarch.
>>Histarch is concerned with historical archaeology, not prehistoric.
>>
>>>>
>>>Anita Cohen-Williams
>>>Listowner of HISTARCH, SUB-ARCH, and SPANBORD
>>>Center for Spanish Colonial Archaeology
>>>4060 Morena Blvd., Suite G-250
>>>San Diego, CA 92117
>>>[log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]
>>>
>>OK, sorry. BUT I believe the 3rd century BCE in China is classified as
>>"historic" in the sense that there are historic documents that date from that
>>time and earlier. If we do not include paleographic documents then we trace
>>the date of documents to perhaps around the 4th century BCE (although they
>>"record" an earlier age). If we include paleographic documents, then the
>>"historic" age begins with the Shang, when oracle bone inscriptions were
>>actively in use, around 2000 BCE. Of course, Han dynasty historical records
>>include the Shang and subsequent periods. The arguement among Chinese
>>archaeologists today is whether certain ages recently dismissed as "mythical"
>>might or might not have links to certain neolithic cultures. In any case,
>>perhaps you should explain to me more clearly how you define "historic" and
>>"prehistoric." I always assumed it had to do with the existence or not of
>>contemporary written documents. In any case thanks for the suggestion that I
>>post my quesry to Arch-L. I do not belong to this list. Could you tell me
>>how to subscribe? Thank you.
>>
>> C. A. Cook
>>
>>
>
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