The Archaeology of Environmental Change

by Fisher, Christopher T.; Hill, J. Brett; Feinman, Gary M.

• ISBN13: 9780816514847
• ISBN10: 0816514844
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-02-01
• Publisher: Univ of Arizona Pr

Summary

In this book, a diverse collection of case studies reveals how archaeology can contribute to a better understanding of humans' relation to the environment. The Archaeology of Environmental Change shows that the environmental challenges facing humanity today can be better approached through an attempt to understand how past societies dealt with similar circumstances. Book jacket.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Environmental Studies for Twenty-First-Century Conservation	p. 1
New Frameworks for Interpretation
The Resilience of Socioecological Landscapes: Lessons from the Hohokam	p. 15
What Is an "Environmental Crisis" to an Archaeologist?	p. 40
Beyond Sustainability: Managed Wetlands and Water Harvesting in Ancient Mesoamerica	p. 62
Multi-dimensional Explanations
Creating a Stable Landscape: Soil Conservation and Adaptation among the Ancient Maya	p. 85
Farming the Margins: On the Social Causes and Consequences of Soil-Management Strategies	p. 106
The Human-Wildlife Conundrum: A View from East Africa	p. 135
What Difference Does Environmental Degradation Make? Change and Its Significance in Transjordan	p. 160
New Answers to Old Questions
The Earliest Residents of Cyprus: Ecological Pariahs or Harmonious Settlers?	p. 177
Social Changes Triggered by the Younger Dryas and the Early Holocene Climatic Fluctuations in the Near East	p. 192
Abandoning the Garden: The Population/Land Degradation Fallacy as Applied to the Lake Pátzcuaro Basin in Mexico	p. 209
Hohokam and Pima-Maricopa Irrigation Agriculturalists: Maladaptive or Resilient Societies?	p. 232
Conclusion
The Socionatural Connection: Closing Comments	p. 249
References	p. 259
About the Editors	p. 309
About the Contributors	p. 311
Index	p. 319
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