Giorgio Buccellati, A Critical Theory of Archaeology
Notes to Chapter 6. Typological analysis

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6.1 The elements: features and items
6.2 Archaeological typology
6.3 Formal analysis of single elements: morphology
      6.3.1 Three types of morphological analysis
      6.3.2 Principles of compositional analysis
      6.3.3 Principles of manufacturing analysis
      6.3.4 Principles of functional analysis
6.4 Formal analysis of assemblages: taxonomy
      6.4.1 The notion of assemblage
      6.4.2 Patterned ordering of attributes within assemblages
      6.4.3 Structuring principle
      6.4.4 Beyond formal analysis
      6.4.5 The coherence of the whole
6.5 Typology and stratigraphy


6.1 The elements: features and items

  1. On the grammatical aspects of typological analysis see the relevant section of my digital book on the Grammar of the Archaeological Record
  2. Rouse 1972 makes an important effort on systemizing the conceptual and physical actions within the discipline of prehistory. Indeed, his contribution on the definition of a chain of concepts and the systematic order every step undertaken over the process of the data collection, its organization and interpretation must be recognized. However most of the criticism following his work notices two main issues: 1) Rouse perceives organization and interpretation of the archaeological record into a top-down approach following a pre-defined system that cannot be effectively applied to any archaeological context and 2) His classification strategy on classes - types - taxonomy, however neatly constructed bears several misleading concepts. The equalization of culture, artifacts and people limits the discussion on classification into a highly malfunctions scheme at which the individual choices, expressions, expertize, and the background of the artisan do not gain any attention at all.
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6.2 Archaeological typology

  1. Typology, e.g. Hayden 1984; papers in Whallon & Brown 1982. - [Laerke Recht, July 2016]
  2. O'Brien & Lyman 2002 - seriation as replicable. - [Laerke Recht, August 2016]
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6.3 Formal analysis of single elements: morphology

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6.3.1 Three types of morphological analysis
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6.3.2 Principles of compositional analysis
  1. For full description of data and visually determined typologies, see Krieger 1944. - [Laerke Recht, July 2016]
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6.3.3 Principles of manufacturing analysis
  1. For an important and very insightful study on manufacturing in early Paleolithic see Wynn 1989
  2. For the concept of agency in archaeology, see Gardner 2008. - [Laerke Recht, March 2016]
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6.3.4 Principles of functional analysis
  1. The tendency to interpret anything 'unknown' as ritual or cultic: Barker 1999, p. 747. - [Laerke Recht, March 2016]
  2. Assigning function, Trebsche 2009. - [Laerke Recht, August 2016]
  3. The philosophical concepts that define function/s see Wright 1972. [Esmeralda Agolli, October 2014].
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6.4 Formal analysis of assemblages: taxonomy

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6.4.1 The notion of assemblage
  1. C.f. Lucas 2013 on his understanding of assemblage. - [Laerke Recht, October 2015]
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6.4.2 Patterned ordering of attributes within assemblages
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6.4.3 Structuring principle
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6.4.4 Beyond formal analysis
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6.4.5 The coherence of the whole
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6.5 Typology and stratigraphy

  1. For the different roles and implications of typology and stratigraphy in establishing chronological sequences and in the perception of time in archaeology, see McGlade 1999, Mishra 1999. - [Laerke Recht, October 2015]
  2. For gender bias in the methods of typology and stratigraphy, see McGlade 1999. - [Laerke Recht, October 2015]
  3. Keeping levels of analysis distinct: O'Brien & Lyman 2002. - [Laerke Recht, August 2016]
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