ABSTRACT
Acculturation studies have received much more attention from cultural anthropologists than archaeologists. Redfield et al. (1936:149) defined acculturation as “those phenomena which result when groups of individuals having different cultures come into first-hand contact, with subsequent changes in the original cultural patterns of either or both groups.” Those authors not only defined acculturation, but also summarized those aspects of the process that deserved attention by anthropologists. Subsequent anthropological literature has therefore been devoted to the acculturation of nonmaterial/ideational systems versus material/behavioral systems; to the relative speed of acculturation of different aspects of culture; and to how varying degrees of social integration of both societies determine which society changes most and how rapidly. Articles on acculturation have included discussions of the types of acculturation (Freed 1957), of specific cases (Bruner 1956), and of ethnic groups in the United States (Spiro 1955). Aspects of acculturation have been examined archaeologically on several occasions as part of larger discussions, but rarely has acculturation been addressed exclusively or in detail (Henry 1980; White 1975).
