ABSTRACT
This conclusion presents some closing thoughts on the key concepts discussed in the preceding chapters of this book. The book reflects the wide range of subject matter that can be studied phylogenetically, including projectile points, pottery designs, pottery composition, marriage patterns, puberty rituals, basketry, languages, and genes. These phenomena represent the broad spectrum of human variation and underscore the basic principle that phylogenetic methods are applicable to anything that is structured by a system of inheritance. The book highlights a number of conceptual distinctions. One of the more substantial issues concerns the appropriate units of analyses: populations versus specific artifacts and/or characters. Some authors argue that groups of individuals can be analyzed as coherent units because groups share characters despite having somewhat permeable boundaries. Other contributors are critical of attempts to use cultures or societies as units, and suggest that populations cannot be treated simply as analogues for species.
