ABSTRACT
As humans, we use theories and models all the time to interpret the world around us. It is impossible to describe something or another person without likening them to something or somebody else. The same is true for archaeology. For example, you need to have seen or read about excavated buildings to interpret a dark circular mark on the earth as the decayed remains of a posthole. This way of thinking about material remains in order to use them to interpret past behaviour is sometimes called ‘middle-range’ theory to distinguish it from ‘big’ theories about evolution ( p. 191), the origins of farming ( p. 324) or the development of states ( p. 468).
