Keywords

ethnography, Puebloan Southwest, communities

Abstract

In many societies, economic activities are an important means through which individuals create their social identity. This is particularly evident in, for example, some Melanesian societies where successful participation in exchange systems is an important determinant of an individual‘s social status. These processes are difficult to see in the ethnographic or prehistoric Southwest, where status differences are understated, but some principles apply cross-culturally. This paper focuses on ethnographic examples showing how differential participation in institutionalized, inter-community exchange systems affects the negotiation of identity within communities. Examples from the prehistoric Puebloan Southwest are then examined in light of the ethnographic insights.

Original Publication Citation

James R. Allison 2005 Exchanging Identities. Paper presented at the 70th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, Salt Lake City, Utah.