Full Description
For the prehistoric people of the Middle Atlantic region, copper held a fascination higher than rank, achievement, or status. Native copper artifacts, along with other exotic objects, were seen as a conduit or connection between the living and the dead and were used in burial. Other studies have viewed the use of such artifacts in burials as indicative of an individual's status and rank, providing evidence for complex society. In Archaeology, Copper, and Complexity, Gregory Denis Lattanzi contends that such economic explanations should be rethought, arguing that the presence of highly exotic artifacts like copper beads and gorgets could be representative of the different mechanisms at play within prehistoric ideology, ceremonialism, and ritual.
Contents
Chapter 1 Introduction: Setting the Stage
Chapter 2 The Middle Atlantic Culture Area
Chapter 3 Middle Atlantic Geology and Native Copper Sources
Chapter 4 Interaction and Meaning in the Middle Atlantic Region
Chapter 5 Archaeological Sites Examined in the Region
Chapter 6 Complexity and Copper Characterization
Chapter 7 Complexity in the Middle Atlantic Region
Chapter 8 Conclusion: What's Next for the Middle Atlantic Region?
