Archaeology is not Sociology. Discuss
:
Etymologically, archaeology is
originated from two Greek words; Archaeos
which means “ancient” or
“past” and Logos which means “study”. According to Harley and Jones
(2004), they defined archaeology as a discipline concerned with studying the
past using physical evidence in conjunction with other types of historical
sources such as documents, Maps, Illustrations, Photographs and Oral history. Another
scholar called Staeck (2002:2) defined Archaeology as “The study of past things
of the past. The common picture in Archaeology is that, part of details comes
from the material remains of the ancient which the actual people made utilized,
altered and then left behind. And these remains are collectively called
material culture”.
Also,
Sharer (2003) defined the term archeology as the study of social and cultural
past through materials remains with the purpose of ranking and describing the
event of the past and explaining the meaning of those events. It includes the
investigation of historic and prehistoric through the material remains.
Thus,
in a function point of view, Archaeology
is simply refers to the scientific study of past human societies primarily
through the recovering and analysis of material culture and environmental data
which they have left behind, these includes artifacts, ecofacts/biofacts and
features.
Grant (2008: 110) outlined various Goals of Archaeology including Conservation and management of archaeological
sites for the coming life, Reconstruction of Culture History, meaning that, it
involves the description of human cultures extending thousands of years into
the past. An archaeologist working on the culture history of an area describes
the prehistoric cultures of that region. Culture history is normally derived
from the study of sites and the artifacts and structures in a temporal and
spatial context. Therefore, by investigating groups of prehistoric sites and
the many artifacts in them, archaeologists can erect local and regional
sequences of human cultures that extend over centuries and even millennia. Most
of the activity is descriptive as it provides a basis for observing how
particular cultures evolved and changed through prehistoric times. Then Culture Process, past Life ways, as well as
understanding the archaeological record. Also, Grant (2008:110) cemented
that, “the goal of archaeology is to explain (not really reconstruct) past
behavior, but archaeologists do not dig up behavior. They excavate material
remains from the past and assume that behavior and the ideas that motivated
behavior will be reflected in these remains. They then use theories from the
present to make sense of the archaeological record. For example, you need
theory to interpret a dark circular mark as a posthole or a particular burial
as that of a chieftain. This way of thinking, which links material remains to
their interpretation as evidence, is known as middle-range theory”.
In connection to that, another important key concept is
sociology. According to Karolyn (1999: 212) defined Sociology as “the study of
human groups and how the groups influences social behavior. The field is both a
science and a philosophy, seeking to answer questions about human behavior
through the use of scientific methods. Sociology gives us new and important
knowledge about the social world”. Through sociology, students frequently find
that they begin to question their "common sense" understanding of the
world. As a philosophy, sociology enables students' to view society critically
and more objectively.
According to Greenwood (2004), he listed several specialized
areas of inquiry in sociology (Branches of sociology), each of which may employ
its own approach and techniques. So that sociology have its sub-divisions or
branches such as Historical Sociology, in the sense that, it pertains to the
events that have happened or have been observed. Social history is history
which deals with human relations, social patterns, mores and customs In a sense
that all sociological research is historical for the sociologists normally go
into the records and important institutions other than monarchy and army,
another branch is Sociology of Knowledge, Political Sociology, Social or Human
Ecology and Rural Sociology meaning that is a specialized field of sociology.
It deals with the society of village or rural society. It is a systematic and
scientific study of rural society. “Rural sociology, is the sociology of rural
life in rural environment" by Sanderson. “Rural sociology is that study
human relationships in rural environment" by Bertrand. It provides us that
knowledge about the rural social phenomena which can help us in making
contribution to the development of rural society.
Greenwood (2014) summarized key arguments on the two
concepts by arguing that, Archaeologist travel all over the world to examine
present and past civilizations through their physical characteristics, remains
and artifacts. They may also work in a lab to examine various samples from
archaeological sites. Another major function project, for example, to ensure
that, federal regulations regarding preservation are archaeologists specializes
in a particular period, history, culture or civilization. Greenwood also
explained that, Sociologists study people and cultures, especially the way
people interact with one another. They extend this study to the institutions
and organization. People create in their culture and the way these institutions
affects people`s lives. In the course of their research, Sociologists might
examine social, religious, political, economic and business activities,
performs surveys or collect data from groups or individuals and write reports
describing how multiple factors affect the overall society. Some sociologists
work in their own societies, while others looks at different countries or
Nationalities.
The two disciplines are in fact not the same, but they
interrelate to each other in some aspects, and the following is the extent to
which they differ and the extent of their comparison;
Starting
with differences, the defition itself is enough in distinguishing Archaeology
from Sociology. For example, one of the Archaeological scholars known as Fagan
(1985:25) defined Archaeology as “the study of human culture using
archaeological theory and techniques”. But in defining the concept of
Sociology, Halborn (2008:1), defined sociology, as “one of a number of social
sciences which attempt to explain and understanding the behavior of human being
in society”. So, in regarding to those definitions, it is clearly shows how
different are they.
Also, the two concepts differ in terms of scale and size.
For example, Renfrew (2012: 5) explained that, “archaeologists will excavate a
single site which actually comprises a small area and use sample collected in
that area to generalized their findings”. Also in Haralambos work (2008:2),
explained that, “sociology normally deals with large areas because it involves
various groups of people”. For example, the study of British society or A
global as a whole shows that, sociology have high coverage compared to
Archaeology which only small site can be excavated such as excavation in
Olduvai gorge which is small area and its information is used to generalize
various phenomena.
The origin is another context that justifies the distinction
between Archaeology and Sociology. According to Fagan (1985:3),he explained
that, “Archaeology had its origins in treasure hunting, renaissance classicism
and grave robbing, but it has evolved into a highly precise discipline, it has become
an integral part of 20thc life as a component of popular culture and
modern intellectual curiosity”. While Holborn (2008:787), shown the origin of
sociology as “the first developed in Europe in the 19thc when
industrialization resulted in massive social changes more intellectual changes
during which science started to enjoy a higher reputation than ever before”.
Science appeared to be capable of producing objective knowledge that could be
used to solve human problems and increase human productive capacity in an
unprecented way.
Also, the process of data collection cannot be undermined as
the aspect that shows how Archaeology differs from Sociology in the following
ways, Fagan (1985:178), explained that, “In Archaeology the process of
archaeological research, the field team is assembled, they begin to acquire
data by reconnaissance, site survey and excavation. This acquisition requires
them to record provenience, archaeological context, and a great deal of basic
information about the site, its natural environment and its archaeological
finds”. But in Sociology, Wahrman (1983:30) outlined three basic processes in
collecting the information or data particularly in the issues like divorce,
rates, murder cases as well as population figures. Here Sociologist use
research process such as Experiment, then sample survey, followed by case
study.
It is the aspect of focus which also distinguishes the two
concepts of Archaeology and Sociology. For stance, according to Fagan (1985:4),
he described the focus of archaeology, that, its focus is more concentrated in
understanding human cultures through cultural remains. Example; buried
treasure, the great pyramids and grinning skeletons. Also archaeology is
believed to open doors to the world of romance and excitement to discoveries
like the spectacular tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutanlehamun, Opened by
English archaeologist Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon in 1922. But the focus
of Sociology is on the social context. According to Haralambos and Holborn
(2008:2) described that, the main focus of Sociology is to understand the
social context in which human behavior take place in a society. At the most
basic levels, this involves understanding the culture of society in which
social actions occurred.
Another difference is on the Theoretical concepts, According
to Fagan (1988:23), Explained that, “Archaeologist build theories in studying
the material remains of culture, they cover all human history from the time of
earliest human being right up to the present. To understand what archaeology
involves, requires some knowledge of the material evidence. For example, some
materials survive much longer than others like stone and clay vessels are
nearly indestructible, but wood, skin, metal and bone are much more friable”.
Then Holborn (2008:2), emphasize that, “Sociological theory is a set of ideas
which claims to explain how something works”. A sociological theory is
therefore a set of ideas which claims to
explain how society or aspect of society work, Sociological theory is
selective no amount theory can hope to explain everything, or account for the
infinite amount of date that exist, or encompass the endless ways of viewing
reality.
Furthermore, the other distinction were given by Tyson K
(2010-2014) by saying that, Sociology is an exciting and illumination field of
study that analyzed and explains important matters in our personal lives, our
community and the world, While Archaeology is sub-field of all human culture
from million years ago. For example, 20thcentury buildings in
present day, New York City analyzed physical remains of the past in pursuit of
broad and comprehensive understanding of human culture. So, from there, we can
now prove the sense of Archaeology not to be sociology by looking their
distinctive characteristics.
Not only that, but also, the different has been given by Haralambos
and Holborn (2008:2) who Maintained that Sociology does not deal with individual and instead much more
deal with group of people but archaeology to some extent deal with individuals.
The size of group that deal with sociology vary ranging from studies of
delinquent gangs, school classes, the study of institutions, the study of whole
society such as British society or the study of the whole global as a whole.
Therefore according to Haralambos, sociology could not deal with individual and
so deal with the society as whole to study human behavior in its totality. But
also, according to Meskell (2004:5), in archaeology, Individual is seen or
studied though rarely. So, one of the most informative insights in individual
and his or her social status is offered by the discovery of human physical
remains that is skeleton or Ashes accompanied by artifacts deposited in the
grave. Therefore, these information of individual (Dead body in a grave) provides
potential information which later are useful for description of human culture
evolution by applying scientific method, In sociology, an individual do not
satisfy to provide information. So the study never relies on individual crusted
a group of people that is society.
Archaeology studies the past through systematic recovery and
analysis of material remains in which it study the extinct culture and work at
what of disadvantage as described by Hurt (1998:32), While Sociology studies
much the existing or present society such as classes, sex, religion, law and
others. According to Compete Augustine (1798-1857), Sociology as the science
that uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to
develop a body of knowledge about human social actions, social structure and
functions that are social stratification, social mobility, religion
secularization law and the present cultural history of the society while
sociology studies much the present or contemporary environment of the society.
Another difference is that, Sociology unifying the various
study of diverse study, sociology aimed at understanding how human action and consciousness
both shape and shaped by surrounding cultural and social structure. While
Archaeology offers a unique perspective on human history and culture that has
contributed greatly to our understanding of both the ancient and recent past. For
example, Archaeology helps people to understand not only where and when people
lived on the earth, but also why and how they lived, examine their changes and
causes of their changes that have occur, This has been explained by Tyson
(2010-2014: 28)
Moreover, the context at which works done is also differs in
between Archaeology and Sociology. For example, Greenwood (2014), explained
this distinction by saying that, Archaeologists are more likely travel and
field work and conducting various archaeological phenomenon, while sociologists
are more likely to work in an office continuing arranging some societal
concerns for various purposes different from Archaeology. Then she postulated
that, an Archaeologist with doctorate may
become a professor or a museum curator, while a Socialists with a doctorate is
more likely to go into teaching.
Although, Archaeology is not sociology as it differs in some
aspects, the two discipline has been interrelated in variety of ways as different
scholars explained the comparison between the Archaeology and Sociology as
follows;
Archaeology
and Sociology are people oriented careers, although not necessarily in the
usual sense of the term. For example, According to Greenwood (2014) said that,
Issues like human being, their cultures, Languages and social organizations are
all studied by both Archaeologists and Sociologists. These highly educated
scientists may spend their entire lives researching living conditions, History,
Health issues and other related subjects for group of people. Also Shanks
(1992:248) justifies that, Archaeology
and sociology acts as a cultural practice because both are involving to study
the past, present and future culture.
Both
Sociology and Archaeologists are most likely to work in systematic and
scientific research in the process of collecting data. This is due to the fact
that in Archaeological processes, systematic processes as well as what
sociologists do. For example, Greenhood (2014) explained that, in research,
both examines human culture in a great detail, then they shares basic skills
including Analytical skills, critical thinking and writing skills. So,
sociology emphasizes the careful gathering and analysis of evidence about
social life to develop and enrich our understanding of key social processes. For
example, the research methods, sociologist use are varied, sociologists observe
the everyday life of groups conduct large scale survey, interpret historical
document analysis, census data, study video interpreted, participant interview
and conduct Laboratory experiments. Also by careful applying scientific
techniques in excavation and analysis of their findings, archaeologist attempt
to reconstruct past ways of life and understanding why deferent custom
developed and evolved.
Also,
Archaeology and Sociology have a tendency of back feeding, this has been proved
by Lowell (1997:314) who said that, the two disciplines are interdependent
because sociologists provide feedback to Archaeologists and the Archaeologists
as well provides feedback to sociologists. For example, when approaching a
subject like old testament, Israel from sociological angle it`s first and
understand that will involves an extensive in Archaeology.
According
to Meskell (2004:4), He regarded society as the central focus of Archaeology
which also sociology deals with. Miskell explains the study of artifact
(Production and use) is co-existence with the life of the society. This means
that, Archaeologists needed to be conversant with the work of social and
economic historians as well as the findings of social anthropology. Also,
according to Haralambos (2008:2), It is hard to think of any significant area
of social life which had not been the subject of sociology, He explained that,
sociology study human behavior in the society which both society and
Archaeology do.
Then,
Archaeology is Sociology in the sense that, Both involves the division of the
area in obtaining data as sociology involves sub-divide of the countries or
state into regions or districts and each may contain many towns and villages. For
example, Renfrew (2012:166) explained that, A small group of communities may
make a federation in the process of collecting data in a particular areas, For
stance, a small group of hunter and gathers may organize in federation through
making their own decision and reorganize in common. Thus, makes easy to collect
data through dividing the state or country into various segments be it district
or village, but on the other hand, Archaeology can also involve sub-divide the
areas into sections and each section has to be sub-divided feather into
transkers which are then walked systematically to locate and record the sites.
Both
Archaeology and Sociology applies survey in the process of determining the area
before data recording and collection as the sociology tend first to discover
the hierarchy of settlement just by locating particularly in the major centers
because the is with organization and establish the nature of the more modest
sites. This implies a dual sampling strategy at the intensive level of survey.
Renfrew (2012:170), Argued that, they offer aim of strategy and must be
therefore to go for center means must be devised of finding the remains of the
largest center. For example, n the region and as many lesser center as can be
located any survey will result in a map of the areas intensively surveyed and
catalog of the site. For stance; Size, chronological range, that may be
determined from surface remains such as pottery and architectural. Renfrew
continued by saying that, Meanwhile Archaeologist can use surface survey when
collecting data in which archaeological findings are gathered from the ground
surface of sites and then evaluated, Such surface helps to establish the type
of activities on the site that locate major structure and gather information on
the most densely occupied areas of the site that could be most productive for
total or sample excavation.
Archaeology
and sociology used to study social organizations of the communities/ society. Through
investigating settlement patterns, Archaeologists may study about the past
cultural organizations at the same way sociologists can do it through studying
population of a given area. One of the important Archaeological experts called
Greene (1996:174) argued that, If we are to bridge the gap between the past
archaeological remains and the societies. Those remains represent what we need.
So, in the fields, the important issues concerning the societies such as census
(population studies), Communities settlement patterns and their social
relationship do explained and assessed by both sociologists and the
Archaeologists.
Archaeology
and sociology helps to examine cultural changes of the past and present. For
example; through learning environmental, influences the past communities.
Greene (1996:26) analyzed that, during the early Stone Age, late Stone Age and
the introduction of food production from hunting and gathering.
Moreover,
Both Archaeology and Sociology helps to explain and describe about cultural
heritage of the societies/ communities either the past or the present society. For
example, Bahn (2012:544), shows the system of burial, system/ culture of the
Nigerian and Egyptian people.
Lastly,
both Archaeology and sociology helps to determine nature and scale of
societies. According to a study by Bahn (2012), indicated how written oral
traditions and ethno archaeology used to classify societies and its scales. For
example; “Bands” (Small settlements) always less than 100 people where
archaeological remains like butchery sites, killings and working sites. On the
other hand they study about tribes, chiefdoms and early states through studying
temples, Monuments, administrative centers to indicate how communities were
structured and organized, the same as sociologist who tend to employ it by
studying population.
Generally,
Archaeology is part of anthropology which is concerned with past humans and
their material remains they left behind.
Sociology is very close related to cultural anthropology – it is
actually concerned with living humans. And Sociologist also deals with
migration, social injustice, demographics, crime, gender and so on. Thus, both
archaeology and sociology are concerned with societies and structures within
those societies and also pattern in those societies. Archaeologists have
borrowed a battery of analytical techniques and concepts from other disciplines
including ethnography, sociology and critical theory to explore religion and
ritual. It is now a core element of study for many periods. A particularly
influential idea has been the fact that for many cultures religion cannot
neatly be separated from social organization or even economics. It influences
the way people behave and therefore leaves traces in their material culture.
Although there is slight differences of the two disciplines of Archaeology and
sociology as the terms spokes for themselves. For instance, Hawkes (11954:34)
identified the archaeology of past social systems as a difficult topic for archaeologists.
He said that, “Despite this, most archaeologists have written with confidence
on the societies they have studied and used a wide range of models
(particularly from ethnography) to help interpret their sources”. So, despite
of having differences, we have to consider also their similarities as discussed
above.
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