EAZ – Ethnographisch-Archaeologische Zeitschrift

Reflections on a Decade of Practice in Indigenous Archaeologies: A Perspective from Canada

Lindsay Amundsen-Meyer — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0100

My first attempt at applying a perspective grounded in Indigenous archaeology to the study of cultural landscapes arose from my dissertation research in 2014 (Amundsen-Meyer 2014a). I attempted to braid Indigenous and Western knowledge (i.e., Wall Kimmerer 2013) to more fully understand the past, which I firmly believed was the way forward to decolonize the discipline of archaeology. Since 2019, I have had the privilege of working with, for and on the Siksika First Nation and of learning from many Elders and Knowledge Holders in the community. Reflecting on these experiences, I have begun to wonder if braiding knowledge may, in some cases, contribute to ongoing colonialism in archaeology. This paper will explore the concept of Indigenous archaeology and pose questions and put forward suggestions for future collaborative work as we come to terms with the longstanding colonial history of our discipline.

Material Traces of Marketplaces and How to Read Them – Ethnoarchaeological Data from a Rural Weekly Market (Souk) in the High Atlas Mountains, Morocco

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0100

The ethnoarchaeological documentation of a contemporary weekly market in the High Atlas Mountains (Morocco) provides empirical data on three topics that serve as ‘food for archaeological imagination’ and could help archaeologists better identify and understand past marketplaces.
Regarding the first topic, market life, we argue that marketplaces are usually much more than just places for the exchange of goods. They are shaped by a broad range of economic and social activities and can be described as networks collectively created by diverse human and non-human actors. To recognize and comprehend these networks, a broader perspective is necessary – one that goes beyond economic transactions and human actors.
The second topic, market traces, demonstrates that certain market activities leave material evidence that can be identified using various archaeological methods, including architectural investigations, analysis of small finds as well as applications from geoarchaeology and archaeozoology. However, reading material traces of marketplaces requires a cautious approach with consideration of the specific context.
Finally, with regard to the third topic, taphonomy, various natural and anthropogenic factors strongly influence material remains of marketplaces by mixing, relocating, transforming or completely destroying them. While this complicates interpretation, taphonomic processes can also be viewed as a valuable source of information concerning waste handling and resource management.

Cooperative Networks in Megalith Construction: Ethnoarchaeological Insights from Maram Khullen Village in Manipur, Northeast India

Oinam Premchand Singh — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Although the tradition of building megaliths among a few tribal communities in Northeast India has attracted scholarly interest in South Asia due to its archaeological significance, there is a lack of understanding regarding the social support networks involved, particularly in communally sponsored projects. This study addresses this knowledge gap by presenting insights from a case of monolith construction sponsored by the villagers in Maram Khullen, a Maram Naga (a Tibeto-Burman ethnic community) village in Manipur, in 2023. The study reveals that village clans and wards contributed resources in the form of cash, kind and labour. This differs from the undertakings sponsored by individual households, where the hosts bear the expenses to gain a higher status in society. During the event, villagers distributed shawls and meat to clan and ward leaders and spears to village chiefs from surrounding and distant villages. They also organized a community feast to strengthen support networks. Based on these results, I argue that social support networks in the past may have been similar, with such endeavours reinforcing social cohesion within villages and among neighbouring communities. I also contend that the mobilization of resources for such projects was primarily clan-based and driven by strong clan solidarity, with labour centred in village wards.

Ruth Struwe, Kulturgut aus Britisch-Indien und Tasmanien in deutschen Museen – Gesammelt vom Geologen und Paläontologen Fritz Noetling während seines wechselvollen Lebens, Langenweißbach, Beier & Beran Press 2024. 203 pp. Soft cover. ISBN 978-3-95741-206-5

Clemens Lichter — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Manfred K. H. Eggert, Prähistorische Archäologie. Konzepte – Methoden – Theorien. 5th ed. Tübingen, Narr Francke Attempto/utb. 2024. 625 pp., 80 b&w ill. Soft cover. ISBN 9783825259860

Daniela Hofmann — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0200

Annotation zu: Peter Walther (Hrsg.), Edward S. Curtis. The North American Indian. The Complete Portfolios. Köln, Taschen 2025. 695 S. mit zahlr. Ill. Hardcover. ISBN 978-3-8365-9673-2

Berthold Riese — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Editorial: Collaborative Archaeologies and Ethnoarchaeological Practice

Bill Angelbeck, Maria Wunderlich — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0100