The Archaeology of Interaction: Views from Artifact Style and Material Exchange in Dorset Society

Abstract

This paper discusses the role of interaction in prehistory, and the ways archaeologists have traditionally approached its study. Using two distinct data sets—artifact style and material exchange—derived from analysis of 11 Dorset (late Paleoeskimo) collections from Frobisher Bay in the Canadian Arctic, it explores the strengths and weaknesses of these methodologically distinct investigatory techniques. Each appears inadequate when used separately and in isolation, but when used in tandem they demonstrate considerable potential to yield epistemologically grounded insights into prehistoric interaction and, perhaps, changing dimensions in the symbolic use of style over time.

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