Call for Papers

Society for American Archaeology

73^rd Annual Meeting
Vancouver, BC
March 26 - March 30, 2008

Title of Symposium:  Residues of Technology: Experimental Contributions to Archaeological Interpretations

Residues of prehistoric technology act as a medium by which archaeologists gain insight into ancient human behavior. However, two significant obstacles hindering the archaeologist in this endeavor are: an incomplete archaeological record which often over-represents stone and ceramic material, and the researcher’s failure to grasp the complete range of technologies and problem solving strategies utilized in the past.  This session focuses on the use of Experimental Archaeology to further our understanding of prehistoric technology and its role in the production of the archaeological record.  Papers within this panel offer insight into the vast array of problem solving strategies/solutions facing people throughout the world and throughout time. In addition, this panel aims to demonstrate how researchers’ conceptualization of the archaeological record/prehistoric life can move beyond classification and toward a better understanding of the people that created it.

We invite paper submissions addressing the following or related areas:

• Stone tool technology
• Ceramic technology
• Food acquisition, preparation, and/or storage technology
• Fiber and textile technology

Contributions to this panel maintain a similar standard of conduct including:  (a) thorough background research, (b) experiments, based upon the archaeological record designed to answer valid archaeological questions, (c) effective implementation of experiments, (d) exhaustive data recording, and (e) meaningful interpretation of results. 

Please email abstracts, questions or comments by August 1st 2007 to:

Bill Schindler PhD wschindl@...  -or-

Timothy C. Messner ABD tmessner@...