| Summary: | Following a discussion on theoretical issues concerning the chaîne operatoire concept including a consideration of adding spatial dimensions to the dynamic technological analysis, this paper presents a case study from the site of Qajaa in West Greenland. Trial excavations in the 1980’s by Jørgen Meldgaard (1927-2007) proved that the site holds unique preservation conditions for organic artefacts and waste due to permafrost. Through analyses of Saqqaq’s processing of organic materials like caribou antler, whale bone, and gull bones it is possible to demonstrate some of our points: We advocate a more rigorous inclusion of spatial analysis in studies of technological dynamics.
|
|---|