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The Archaeology of the Absurd: Comments on ℌCultural Materialism, Split Inheritance, and the Expansion of Ancient Peruvian Empiresℍ

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Allison C. Paulsen
Allison C. Paulsen*
Affiliation:
Yager Museum, Hartwick College, Oneonta, NY 13820
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Abstract

Conrad's discussion bears little relation to the generally accepted outline of Peruvian prehistory. He presents evidence that is not evidence in support of a weak and untestable hypothesis. Since he is apparently unacquainted with a substantial body of recent and current research, he has launched superficial and absurd criticisms at the proposition that changes in climate are reflected in changes in human society and culture. Not only is this theory substantiated by a growing number of independent studies, but ironically enough Conrad joins their ranks by supporting my hypothesis about climate and culture in late prehistoric Andean cultures. His shallow arguments opposing cultural materialism do not deal with issues and are far from convincing. Altogether his work appears to belong to a previously unidentified archaeological specialty, the Archaeology of the Absurd.

Type
Research Article
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 46 , Issue 1 , January 1981 , pp. 31 - 37
Copyright
Copyright © Society for American Archaeology 1981

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References

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