ANTH 201 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Nazi Germany, Edward Burnett Tylor, Archaeological Culture
8 Aug 2016
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Document Summary
Early 19th century- culture history is an approach developed to reject early evolutionary theories. Darwins biological theory of evolution believed in a unilinear biological evolution which was taken up by archaeologists. A series of developments from simple to most complex. Every society moves from primitive to more developed to developed. This happens progressively till today, working to civilization. Culture history is a critic of evolutionary theory. A back and forth, ideas are often drawn on earlier models or critised. Environmental factors were either encouraging or discouraging cultural development. Less demanding tropical climates did not have to make an effort to develop culturally and favourable conditions encouraged cultural development. This is why it mostly took placed in europe. These environmental ideas did not claim cultural variability- cultures that developed during the stage cultural conditions were sometimes different. Some cultures that they considered static did change, they couldn"t explain it through environmental factors.
