The emergence of socio-political differentiation is a core theme in world prehistory, and the West African archaeological record offers unique insights into the range of pathways towards increasing complexity and the origins of socio-economic inequalities. During the second half of the second millennium BC, the Tichitt-Oualata escarpments of southeastern Mauritania witnessed the development of societies with monumental funerary architecture and substantial drystone settlements that relied on an agropastoral economy based primarily on pearl millet (Pennisetum sp.) cultivation and livestock-raising. Previous spatial analyses of site size have shown that the Dhar Tichitt landscape exhibited a multi-tiered settlement hierarchy, with Dakhlet el Atrouss I (80 ha) as the main regional center, with almost 600 compounds forming an intricate layout and hundreds of funerary tumuli in the vicinity of the site. The limited presence of imported prestige goods, however, has sparked considerable controversy regarding the socio-political complexity of the community inhabiting the site. The aim of this article is to understand whether remote sensing and spatial analyses can inform us about the extent of socio-economic differentiation at Dakhlet el Atrouss I, the largest site ascribed to the Tichitt Tradition. On the basis of relevant ethnographies exploring the dynamics of household wealth in agropastoral economies, I explore the degree of compound size variation at the site and neighborhood levels using well-established econometric methods that increasingly feature in archaeological studies of inequality and socio-political complexity. This paper represents the first application of Lorenz Curves and Gini Coefficients in African prehistory and illustrates a considerable degree of spatial and socio-economic differentiation at Dakhlet el Atrouss I.
Now in its third edition, Introducing Archaeology continues to be a lively and approachable textbook for introductory-level students. Covering traditional elements of archaeology, including methods and prehistory, the new edition also opens up greater conversations about the current state of archaeology, discussing issues of representation, inclusion, and diversity in the field. The authors highlight recent developments in digital and public archaeology, as well as the social and political contexts of doing archaeological fieldwork. A new prologue challenges common misconceptions about archaeology portrayed by mainstream media. The result is a book that encourages students to critically examine the present by investigating the archaeological past.
"Archaeological practice as it is conducted in the world today is at the center of Introducing Archaeology. The book is a real-world guide, field overview, and primer on the key concepts. Examples drawn from politics, popular culture, and cultural heritage management are threaded throughout the volume, making the book useful for students interested in a career in archaeology and those who simply want to learn more about the field. Introducing Archaeology breaks away from other textbooks in its approach to contemporary issues, while remaining an excellent overview of the history of the discipline and the ways that archaeology is used to understand the past."
Since taking their first steps on this planet, humans have changed the environment around them. Anthropocene: A New Introduction to World Prehistory tells the comprehensive story of human prehistory through the lens of anthropogenic environmental change. Each chapter explains how and why ancient humans transformed the Earth, linking prehistory to todays greatest global challenge. As they explore this record of the worlds early people and societies, authors Joy McCorriston and Julie Field reject the traditional account of cultural evolution, instead presenting a thematic organization that highlights our Anthropocene narrative. Chapters are devoted to cities and agriculture, but also to such topics as technology, extinction, food production, writing and extractivism. Chapter 9, Individuals and Identity, considers human identity and agency in more recent eras, and the book ends with a contemporary chapter that takes a hopeful look at the future.
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