Soils, climate & society: archaeological investigations in ancient America

Abstract

Much recent archaeological research focuses on social forces as the impetus for cultural change. Soils, Climate, and Society, however, focuses on the complex relationship between human populations and the physical environment, particularly the land--the foundation of agricultural production and, by extension, of agricultural peoples. This volume traces the sociocultural implications of agriculture, agriculture's effects on population, and the theory of carrying capacity, considering the relation of agriculture to the profound social changes that it wrought in the New World. Soil science plays a significant, though varied, role in each case study and is the common component of each analysis. Contributors use information derived from dendrochronology, ground-penetrating radar, soil chemistry, and meteorological records, along with a variety of analytical techniques and computer simulations to determine the amount of food that can be produced in a particular soil and the effects of occupation and cultivation on that soil. They also consider the resulting consequences for future cultivators. Soils, Climate, and Society demonstrates that renewed investigation of agricultural production and demography can answer questions about the past, as well as stimulate further research. It will be of interest to scholars of archaeology, historical ecology and geography, and agricultural history.--Provided by publisher.