Lecture 4

Ritual buildings in achievement-based societies

In Assam, dormitories: open to all boys. Protecting them. Divided by ages: unripe to ripening to house leaders to clan leaders to priests.

In Ok, New Guinea, needs initiation to enter. Separate houses for each gender…

In Solomon Islands, Siuai of Bougainville, must be sanctioned by demon to lead.

Change in way of life when Bougainville Campaign: WWII going into these societies.

Features of Men’s houses

Ritual buildings: Gobekli Tepe, Turkey. Made and then destroyed; purposely buried. Nevali Cori: ritualized men’s houses.

In Oaxaca, Mexico, “Oldest men’s house”.

Chaco: people talk about it as a sacred landscape. Big import system:

Room 33: All the turquoise in American Southwest.

American Indians.

Chaco: How complex were the people living here? Why don’t we know?

Anthropology is for simple societies. Sociology: pass a survey.

Gustof Nordienskoid: sent stuff to finland, government got angry.

Hyde expedition: sending cyllinders (unique to Chaco) and other things to the A museum of N H

Kennet et al. DNA analysis of Chaco people. Did not ask indigenous groups or Parks service. Nothing happened, of course.

If there’s a matriline, then there must be a stratified elite; but Flannery and Marcus do not consider that.

Lots of remodelling: so must be lived-in.

Cahokia!