Thoughtful Foragers: A Study of Prehistoric Decision MakingThoughtful Foragers is about hunter-gatherer decision making. The author explores the implications of the human mind as a product of biological evolution for the way in which humans solve foraging problems. He draws on studies form ethology, psychology and ethnography prior to turning his attention to prehistoric hunter-gatherers. He attempts to construct explanations for patterns in the archaeological record by an explicit focus on decision making by individuals. Thoughtful Foragers will appeal to specialists in European prehistory as well as to those interested in archaeological theory and method. It makes some very significant advances, which will be of real importance for the field of evolutionary theory in relation to human evolution and the evaluation of human social systems. |
Contents
The ecopsychology of decision making | 21 |
The ethnography of huntergatherer decision making | 52 |
patterns in the archaeological record | 91 |
Boreal to the Early Atlantic | 95 |
building a simulation model | 109 |
multiple action replays | 152 |
faunal assemblages and hunting behaviour | 197 |
Through a hunters eyes and into his mind? | 226 |
Conclusion | 256 |
Other editions - View all
Thoughtful Foragers: A Study of Prehistoric Decision Making Steven J. Mithen No preview available - 2009 |
Thoughtful Foragers: A Study of Prehistoric Decision Making Steven J. Mithen,Steven R. Mithen No preview available - 1990 |
Common terms and phrases
age/sex Ageröd I:D animals antler archaeological record auroch Bahn behaviour bison bone cognitive Consequently consider context cues decision goal decision maker density depicted described discussed ecological encountering 9 environment estimates exploitation faunal assemblages fish fluctuations foraging efficiency frequencies Graziosi human Hunter 1 Hunter hunter-gatherers hunting goal Hunting intensity hunting trips ibex imagery increase infer Juvenile killing large ungulates Larsson Lascaux Leslie matrix Magdalenian male Mesolithic meta-decision microliths Minute State Species Niaux occupation parameter particular patch population problems red deer refer reindeer relation roe deer role Scania scapulimancy searching searching processing searching searching searching searching searching stalking searching stalking searching searching stalking stalking Segebro signature Skateholm social Species State Species stalk probabilities stalking searching searching stalking searching stalking stalking stalking searching stalking stalking stalking Star Carr types UISR ungulates Upper Palaeolithic Upper Palaeolithic art Valley Bisa variability yields Zvelebil