Ethnoarchaeology in France: Trends and Perspectives

Abstract

French ethnoarchaeological studies distinguish between three main approaches, which stem from different intellectual heritages, logicism being the first approach, palethnology and experimental archaeology the second, and anthropology of techniques the third. As we shall see, these different approaches have provided invaluable regularities and insights for better interpreting and understanding archaeological data. They tend in fact to converge when examined in the light of the unified theory elaborated by A. Gallay, whose ultimate goal is to provide solid actualist models for a better reconstruction of historical scenarios.