Stylistic Variation in Prehistoric Ceramics: Design Analysis in the American Southwest (New Studies in Archaeology) (Hardcover)

by Stephen Plog (Author) "Studies of stylistic variation in prehistoric artifacts have played an important role in archaeological research since the beginning of the discipline..." (more)
Key Phrases: noncutting dates, sanidine basalt, ceramic design variation, American Southwest, Little Colorado White Ware, Hay Hollow Valley (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Using data drawn primarily from the American Southwest, Stephen Plog shows that there are basic problems with the methods archaeologists traditionally use to classify and analyze prehistoric pottery. Archaeologists have studied the painted designs and other stylistic (that is, nonfunctional) characteristics on different types of prehistoric artifacts in order to infer information about prehistoric social organization and cultural change. Such studies usually argue that the degree of similarity between the designs found on ceramic vessels at different prehistoric sites were occupied or from the amount of interaction between the people who occupied them. In Stylistic Variation in Prehistoric Ceramics, the author proposes that many factors, rather than just two, cause design or stylistic variation on artifacts. He demonstrates flaws in the logic and method of previous studies and suggests that the ways in which designs have been classified and understood are often inappropriate. Employing archaeological information from the Chevelon Canyon area of east-central Arizona, he constructs his own proposal for a new analytic framework. Professor Plog's study provides a major contribution to archaeological method and theory and should be of interest to a broad range of archaeologists.

Book Description
Plog argues that there are many more factors that cause design or stylistic variations on prehistoric artifacts than have been previously acknowledged. Using data primarily from the American Southwest, he shows why the methods of design analysis that have been used are often inappropriate, and presents a new framework of explanation.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 172 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (November 28, 1980)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521225817
• ISBN-13: 978-0521225816
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
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• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,125,823 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)