The Nii'ii hunting stand site : understanding technological practice as social practice in subarctic prehistory
I argue that by understanding lithic technology as a total social fact, that is, as socially, culturally and politically constituted, it is possible to gain some insight into prehistoric social practice. An archaeological examination of the Nii 'ii site (KdVo-5), a prehistoric hunting stand loc...
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ndltd-uvic.ca-oai-dspace.library.uvic.ca-1828-5032017-04-12T17:31:38Z The Nii'ii hunting stand site : understanding technological practice as social practice in subarctic prehistory MacKay, Glen R. Mackie, Quentin Hunting and gathering societies -- Yukon Territory Stone implements -- Yukon Territory I argue that by understanding lithic technology as a total social fact, that is, as socially, culturally and politically constituted, it is possible to gain some insight into prehistoric social practice. An archaeological examination of the Nii 'ii site (KdVo-5), a prehistoric hunting stand locality in southwestern Yukon Territory, serves as a case study for this argument. Spatial reconstruction of this site indicates the presence of several social actors engaged in face-to-face interaction. Technological analysis of the lithic assemblage demonstrates that the observed variability in tool forms cannot be explained solely in terms of tool function; instead, it appears that the technical choices made by the occupants of KdVo-5 were socially and culturally mediated. I outline a theory of technological practice, based on practice-oriented social theory, in an attempt to understand the importance of these technical choices in the construction of social relationships at Nii 'ii. 2008-04-10T05:58:53Z 2008-04-10T05:58:53Z 2004 2008-04-10T05:58:53Z http://hdl.handle.net/1828/503 |
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Hunting and gathering societies -- Yukon Territory Stone implements -- Yukon Territory |
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Hunting and gathering societies -- Yukon Territory Stone implements -- Yukon Territory MacKay, Glen R. The Nii'ii hunting stand site : understanding technological practice as social practice in subarctic prehistory |
description |
I argue that by understanding lithic technology as a total social fact, that is, as socially, culturally and politically constituted, it is possible to gain some insight into prehistoric social practice. An archaeological examination of the Nii 'ii site (KdVo-5), a prehistoric hunting stand locality in southwestern Yukon Territory, serves as a case study for this argument. Spatial reconstruction of this site indicates the presence of several social actors engaged in face-to-face interaction. Technological analysis of the lithic assemblage demonstrates that the observed variability in tool forms cannot be explained solely in terms of tool function; instead, it appears that the technical choices made by the occupants of KdVo-5 were socially and culturally mediated. I outline a theory of technological practice, based on practice-oriented social theory, in an attempt to understand the importance of these technical choices in the construction of social relationships at Nii 'ii. |
author2 |
Mackie, Quentin |
author_facet |
Mackie, Quentin MacKay, Glen R. |
author |
MacKay, Glen R. |
author_sort |
MacKay, Glen R. |
title |
The Nii'ii hunting stand site : understanding technological practice as social practice in subarctic prehistory |
title_short |
The Nii'ii hunting stand site : understanding technological practice as social practice in subarctic prehistory |
title_full |
The Nii'ii hunting stand site : understanding technological practice as social practice in subarctic prehistory |
title_fullStr |
The Nii'ii hunting stand site : understanding technological practice as social practice in subarctic prehistory |
title_full_unstemmed |
The Nii'ii hunting stand site : understanding technological practice as social practice in subarctic prehistory |
title_sort |
nii'ii hunting stand site : understanding technological practice as social practice in subarctic prehistory |
publishDate |
2008 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/1828/503 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT mackayglenr theniiiihuntingstandsiteunderstandingtechnologicalpracticeassocialpracticeinsubarcticprehistory AT mackayglenr niiiihuntingstandsiteunderstandingtechnologicalpracticeassocialpracticeinsubarcticprehistory |
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1718437725997105152 |