Zooarchaeology and social organization in non-state societies

It is argued that zooarchaeological studies of social organization have been based on simple models which assume that different classes of people eat different foods. Recent archaeological research concerning non-state societies has demonstrated that there is considerable variability in social organization, and that a model of social classes is inappropriate. An example from the Pueblo III period in the American Southwest demonstrates the problems and possibilities of trying to use zooarchaeological data to examine social relationships in non-state societies. Some suggestions for future work are made.