Economic Archaeology

Definition: A subdiscipline of archaeology or maybe just a byproduct (bad pun intended), economic archaeology is the study of how people control their economic resources, most particularly but not entirely, their food supply.

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.