The discipline became a major part of archaeology during the 1970s under the influence of Eric S. Higgs in the UK, who brought together researchers in biology, zoology, anthropology, geography, and genetics to study plant and animal use in history and prehistory. Many economic archaeologists are Marxists, and concerned with the power struggles between social classes and how that is represented in the material culture.
Issues: Ranking and Social Inequality, Craft Specialization, Subsistence, Hunter-Gatherers
Books: Caribbean Rum: A Social and Economic History
This glossary entry is a part of the About.com Guide to the Subdisciplines of Archaeology, and part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Any mistakes are the responsibility of Kris Hirst.
