Lecture Notes on Spatial Studies and Social Systems

Types of Societies

  • Morton Fried classified societies into three categories:
    • Egalitarian: Societies where everyone has equal social status.
    • Ranked: Societies with a hierarchy based on prestige.
    • Stratified: Societies that have distinct social classes.

Elman Service's Types of Societies

  • Different forms of societies according to Elman Service include:
    • Bands: Small, mobile groups kin-based; often egalitarian.
    • Tribes: Larger than bands; may have chief or leaders.
    • Chiefdoms: Structured societies with a formal chief and unequal access to resources.
    • States: Highly stratified societies with centralized authority.

Social Classes and Ranking

  • Social Classes: Stratified social hierarchies dictated by wealth, power, and influence.
  • Social Ranking: Importance of status within these classes.

Nuclear Families in Band Societies

  • Band societies, like the Shoshoni, predominantly consist of nuclear families (parents and their children).

Extended Families in Societies

  • Extended families, such as those in Iroquois communities, live together in shared residences, strengthening familial ties and resources.

Settlement Archaeology

  • Levels of Investigation:
    • Structure: Physical layout and organization of settlements.
    • Site Attributes: Geological location and its significance for the society.
    • Site Age: Determining how long a settlement has been inhabited.

Examples of Archaeological Findings

  • Various items at archaeological sites indicate daily life activities:
    • Log walls, wooden posts, and tools for cooking and storage (wash basins, cans).

Household Archaeology

  • Study of domestic spaces enhances understanding of daily life in past communities, as seen in:
    • Catalhoyuk: Notable for its intricate housing layouts and communal spaces.

Types of Sites

  • Identifying site functionalities and how they fit within local landscapes.

Archaeology of Landscapes

  • Investigation of cultural and ceremonial cores, such as:
    • La Venta, Veracruz: Notable for its ceremonial structures, including mound A-2 and the Great Pyramid.

Traditional Cultural Properties

  • Zuni Salt Lake in New Mexico exemplifies sacred sites that hold cultural significance for local communities.

Regional Settlement Patterns

  • Analysis of Native American trails and their implications for regional trade and travel in the Allegheny Mountains Region.

Spatial Organization of Villages

  • Bighorn Medicine Wheel, Wyoming: An example of astronomical alignments and cultural significance in native settlements.

Urban Planning Examples

  • Teotihuacan: Famous for the layout of its pyramids and streets, reflecting social organization and religious life.

City of Victory

  • Vijayanagara: Characterized by its royal centers and sacred architecture.

Social Use of Space

  • Importance of spatial organization in reflecting social structure:
    • Segmentation of Space: As social complexity grows, the diversity and number of spaces increase, alongside a decrease in mobility.

Models of Social Structure

  • Various models explaining social organization in tribal structures:
    • Hub-and-Spoke Model: Houses clustered around a central plaza.
    • Concentric and Circumferential models: Reflect varying social, economic, and ceremonial standings of occupied spaces.

Analysis of Past Populations

  • Techniques for estimating past human populations:
    • Measurement of artifact densities and dwelling counts.

Mortuary Behaviors

  • Examination of burial sites to understand social grouping and ritual practices.