ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book reviews the theories and methodologies employed by many archaeologists over the years and offer many case studies from very successful investigations. It also discusses cultures termed 'hunter-gatherers' and then proceeds to the nomadic pastoralist lifestyle and dwellings. The book focuses on the concept of a 'house society' as it was described by Lvi-Strauss, first exploring ethnographic examples of house societies to understand the physical versions of the social and symbolic relationships in such cultures. It also describes the subject of power, which is one of the essays where the discussion broadens from the domestic and briefly delves into the public sphere. The book explores few non-domestic or at least seemingly non-domestic, structures and also the critical role of ethnography. It also explains the marriage, kinship, family, economy, gendered behavior, ethnicity, and so many other behaviors that encoded in human culture.
