I have chosen the title Archaeology as Human Ecology to emphasize the dynamic interactions between human groups or societies and their environments. This book is intended to provide an introduction to the methodology and theoretical framework for such a study. The central concept is the human ecosystem. This serves as an organizing principle to illuminate the interdependence of cultural and environmental variables, as well as an organizational framework within which to discuss the various scientific approaches critical to understanding the processes of such interaction. The context of the book's subtitle refers to both the locus of and the dynamic processes that define human ecology.

The first section, the introductory part of the book, explains and elaborates the ecosystem approach. A second section then develops the three subsidiary fields of study that contribute the substantive data critical to understanding prehistorical and historical human ecosystems: (a) geo-archaeology, the study and interpretation of sediments and physical landscapes; (b) archaeometry, the use of physical and chemical methods of measurement, including raw-material provenance, dating, and site prospecting; (c) bio-archaeology, the study of plant and animal remains that reflect subsistence activities as well as biotic environments.

The third and final section of the book integrates these components within a spatial framework as well as a temporal or diachronic framework. Spatial archaeology can be seen as a fourth field of study, although it is closely interwoven with the others.