ABSTRACT
Over the years many archaeologists have endeavored to determine if and how socioeconomic status is reflected by the archaeological record. That this determination is considered possible is most succinctly stated by Deetz (1973:20): “Depending on an individual’s place within the socioeconomic scale, the artifacts with which he furnishes his household will vary in quantity and quality.” The ability, however, to determine socioeconomic status from an archaeological site is complicated by a number of factors. The major one is that the artifacts most likely to be considered an indication of high status do not enter the archaeological record as frequently or in the same manner as other objects (Lewis and Hardesty 1979:47). Some, such as furniture or fabrics, are rarely recovered from a site, while others, such as silver and jewelry, tend to enter through accidental loss.
