Let’s go fishing: A quantitative analysis of subsistence choices with a special focus on mixed economies among small-scale societies

The transition to agriculture is regarded as a major turning point in human history. In the present contribution we propose to look at it through the lens of ethnographic data by means of a machine learning approach. More specifically, we analyse both the subsistence economies and the socioecological context of 1290 societies documented in the Ethnographic Atlas with a threefold purpose: (i) to better understand the variability and success of human economic choices; (ii) to assess the role of environmental settings in the configuration of the different subsistence economies; and (iii) to examine the relevance of fishing in the development of viable alternatives to cultivation. All data were extracted from the publicly available cross-cultural database D-PLACE. Our results suggest that not all subsistence combinations are viable, existing just a subset of successful economic choices that appear recurrently in specific ecological systems. The subsistence economies identified are classified as either primary or mixed economies in accordance with an information-entropy-based quantitative criterion that determines their degree of diversification. Remarkably, according to our results, mixed economies are not a marginal choice, as they constitute 25% of the cases in our data sample. In addition, fishing seems to be a key element in the configuration of mixed economies, as it is present across all of them.Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation: Excellence Networks (HAR2017-90883-REDC) (VA, DZ, JC, JMG) and (RED2018-102518-T) (VA, JMG), as well as the CULM Project (HAR2016-77672-P) (DZ, JC); from the Catalan Government - AGAUR through 2017 SGR 212 (DZ); from the Junta de Castilla y León – Consejería de Educación through BDNS 425389 (VA, JMG); and from the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO) through the NASA project (VA, JC, JMG). In addition, this work was partially supported by the European Social Fund, as VA is the recipient of a predoctoral grant from the Department of Education of Junta de Castilla y León. Lastly, the publication fee was partially supported by the CSIC Open Access Publication Support Initiative through its Unit of Information Resources for Research (URICI). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Quantifying the relationship between food sharing practices and socio-ecological variables in small-scale societies: A cross-cultural multi-methodological approach

This article presents a cross-cultural study of the relationship among the subsistence strategies, the environmental setting and the food sharing practices of 22 modern small-scale societies located in America (n = 18) and Siberia (n = 4). Ecological, geographical and economic variables of these societies were extracted from specialized literature and the publicly available D-PLACE database. The approach proposed comprises a variety of quantitative methods, ranging from exploratory techniques aimed at capturing relationships of any type between variables, to network theory and supervised-learning predictive modelling. Results provided by all techniques consistently show that the differences observed in food sharing practices across the sampled populations cannot be explained just by the differential distribution of ecological, geographical and economic variables. Food sharing has to be interpreted as a more complex cultural phenomenon, whose variation over time and space cannot be ascribed only to local adaptation.Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities: SimulPast Project (CSD2010-00034 CONSOLIDER-INGENIO 2010), (VA, JC, EB, DZ, MM, JMG), Consolider Excellence Network (HAR2017-90883-REDC) (VA, JC, EB, DZ, MM, JMG), and CULM Project (HAR2016-77672-P)(DZ, JC, MM)

Ethnoarchaeology of hunter‐fisher‐gatherers societies in the Beagle Channel (Tierra del Fuego): ethnographical sources and social simulation

Research from the Beagle Channel (Tierra del Fuego) offers a rich ethnographic and historical record produced by the late inclusion of Tierra del Fuego in the industrial world (the Beagle Channel was discovered by R. Fitz- Roy in 1830). This is an interesting frame for using new techniques (social simulation by Agent Based Modelling (ABM)) to generate new hypotheses in archaeology. In this case, the hypothesis is focused on the role of social cooperation in Yámana hunter-fisher-gatherer societyEtnoarqueología de sociedades cazadoras-pescadoras-recolectoras en el canal Beagle (Tierra del Fuego): fuentes etnográficas y simulación social La investigación etnoarqueológica en el canal Beagle (Tierra del Fuego) ofrece un abundante registro documental etnográfico e histórico producto de su tardía incorporación al mundo industrial (el canal Beagle es descubierto por R. Fitz-Roy en 1830). Este marco posibilita la aplicación de técnicas novedosas (simulación social mediante “agent based modelling” (ABM)) para la generación de hipótesis a contrastar arqueológicamente. En el caso de nuestro proyecto esa hipótesis versa sobre el papel de la cooperación social en la sociedad cazadora-pescadora-recolectora YámanaEthnoarchéologie des sociétés de chasseurs-pêcheurs-cueilleurs dans le canal de Beagle (Tierra del Fuego): sources ethnographiques et simulation sociale La recherche ethnoarchéologique dans le Canal Beagle (Tierra del Fuego) offre un registre riche de documents historiques et ethnographiques come conséquence de son entrée tardive dans le monde industriel (le canal de Beagle est découvert par R. Fitz-Roy en 1830). Ce cadre permet l’application de nouvelles techniques (simulation sociale à l’aide de «modélisation de l’agent sur la base» (ABM)) pour générer des hypothèses à tester dans le registre archéologique. Pour notre projet cette hypothèse concerne le rôle de la coopération sociale dans les chasseur-pêcheur-cueilleurs YámanaMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad de España. Project: “Social and environmental transitions: Simulating the past to understand human behaviour (SimulPast) (CSD2010-00034)” and “Marcadores Arqueológicos de Relaciones Sociales: etnoarqueología de cazadores-recolectores en el Canal Beagle (HAR2009-06996)”. -Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de la República Argentina. Project: “Procesos de agregación social entre las sociedades cazadoras-recolectoras del canal Beagle: nuevas metodologías de análisis (PIP0706)”. -The Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research. Project: “Social aggregation: a Yamana Society’s short-term episode to Analyse Social Interaction.

Explaining archaeological research with videogames:The case of Evolving Planet

Archaeology has seen a large number of digital innovations during recent decades. Geographical Information Systems, archaeometry, or laser scanning are only some of the methodological advances of the discipline. However, the public image of how archaeology works is roughly the same as it was several years ago. Public fascination with archaeology is built upon a sense of discovery. Fictional works such as Indiana Jones, the Tomb Raider series (Core Design & Crystal Dynamics 1996-2016) or Uncharted series (Naughty Dog 2007-2016) are based on the concept of solving a mystery by unearthing an artefact or a city that has been forgotten for centuries (Meyers Emery & Reinhard 2015). Non-fiction but still popular media producers, such as Time Team or National Geographic, also promote this sense of wonder while emphasizing the rigorous methodology of archaeological research – as distant from these fictional pillagers as can be imagined

Normas de reparto de recursos y generación de desigualdad en sociedades de pequeña escala: Un estudio mediante simulación computacional basado en evidencias etnográficas cualitativas

El presente trabajo de tesis pretende desarrollar toda una serie de instrumentos metodológicos para explorar los procesos de reparto de recursos y generación y mantenimiento de la desigualdad entre los seres humanos, a través de la construcción de una clasificación sistemática de prácticas de reparto en sociedades de pequeña escala (SPE). El reparto de alimentos es considerado como un rasgo característico de las sociedades humanas y no humanas, así como una de las formas más importante de cooperación por parte de la comunidad científica. Asimismo, el estudio de las causas que producen la desigualdad en el reparto de recursos en las sociedades humanas, así como los mecanismo que la acentúan o la atenúan, ha sido clave en el desarrollo de la Sociología. Los estudios tradicionales se han enfocado en las características individuales de sociedades específicas, a través del análisis de la práctica de reparto dominante identificada en cada sociedad. Posteriormente, en el contexto de la Ecología y la Biología Evolutivas se definieron diferentes modelos evolutivos con el fin de describir y explicar las prácticas de reparto en base a los beneficios hipotéticos que dichos modelos aportan a la supervivencia grupal y social del grupo. Sin embargo, la documentación etnográfica muestra que estos procesos socioeconómicos son el resultado de complejas formas de interacción social, resultantes en diferentes comportamientos y prácticas de reparto. Estas prácticas son características de cada grupo y se desarrollan en secuencias de varias etapas con específicas prácticas que se combinan de manera no excluyente. La combinación de prácticas en secuencias de reparto es diferente en cada sociedad. Este trabajo propone la adopción de un enfoque basado en el examen de la información etnográfica con una perspectiva cross-cultural, recopilando ejemplos concretos de prácticas de reparto que se desarrollan en diversas SPE de manera diaria. Para superar los estudios tradicionales y los modelos evolutivos, se hace necesario variar la escala de análisis, en este caso a través de un acercamiento desde la Sociología Analítica. Este tipo de análisis se basa en descender del nivel macro, donde solo observamos la existencia de un proceso de acción colectiva, al nivel micro, para identificar y estudiar a través de un análisis textual y crítico los mecanismos estructurales y sociales que generan las diferentes prácticas de reparto de recursos. Después, las prácticas identificadas son codificadas de acuerdo a los mecanismos que las generan. La clasificación sistemática resultante permite: ● Identificar y clasificar de manera sistemática y comparar las diferentes secuencias de reparto entre SPE. ● Desarrollar la traslación sistemática de información cualitativa en lenguajes cuantitativos y formales con el fin de avanzar en el desarrollo de distintos tipos de modelos y análisis sobre procesos sociales. ● Su aplicación a diversos casos de estudio actuales, ya que las prácticas de reparto identificadas no están adscritas a un sistema socioeconómico concreto. Finalmente, la clasificación sistemática sirve de base para la construcción de un modelo de simulación computacional basado en agentes (ABM) denominado MSP (Modelling Sharing Practices), en el que se implementa una sociedad virtual de acuerdo a información etnográfica empírica. A través de la implementación de protocolos de actuación basados en las secuencias de reparto sistematizadas, se realizan experimentos relativos a la Desigualdad (en condiciones de crecimiento natural 0, determinadas prácticas de reparto provocan mayor desigualdad en relación a los niveles de población), Supervivencia (en dichas condiciones, determinadas prácticas de reparto son más efectivas a largo plazo) y Resiliencia (en dichas condiciones, determinadas prácticas de reparto son más efectivas ante una crisis de recursos).The present PhD thesis aims at developing a series of theoretical and methodological tools to explore the processes underlying resource sharing as well as the generation and persistence of inequality in human societies, by relying on a novel, systematic classification of sharing practices in small-scale societies (SSS).   Food sharing is considered a distinguishing feature of both human and non-human societies, and the scientific community identifies it as one of the most important forms of cooperation. Likewise, the study of the causes that produce inequality in resource sharing within human societies, and the mechanisms that reinforce or attenuate it, have been a key aspect in the development of Sociology.   Traditional studies have been focused on the individual characteristics of specific societies, through the analysis of the main sharing practice identified in every society. Later,  different evolutionary models were defined within Evolutionary Ecology and Biology in order to describe and explain sharing practices, based on the hypothetic benefits these models add to the group physical and social survival. However, ethnographic sources show us that these socio-economic processes are the result of complex forms of social interaction, resulting in different behaviors and sharing practices. These practices are specific features of every society and are developed in sequences of various stages of sharing practices that combine in a not exclusive. The combination of practices in sharing sequences is different within each society.   This thesis proposes the adoption of an approach based on the examination of the ethnographic information with a cross-cultural perspective, recording observable examples of daily sharing practices in different SSS. To overcome the limits of traditional studies and past evolutionary models, it is necessary to change the scale of analysis, in this case through an approach based on Analytical Sociology. This perspective is based on a shift from a macro level, in which we can only observe the presence of a collective action process, to a micro level, where it is possible to identify and investigate the social and structural mechanisms that generate the different sharing practices. Later, the practices identified are codified  according to the mechanisms that generate them. The resulting systematic classification allows us to:   • Identify, describe, classify, and compare the different sharing sequences of stages of SSS. • Develop the systematic translation of qualitative information into quantitative and formal language, with the aim of improve the development of different types of models and analysis about social processes. • apply the proposed approach to contemporary case studies, since sharing practices are not bound to a specific socio-economic system.      Finally, the systematic classification serves as a basis for building an agent based model (ABM) called MSP (Modelling Sharing Practices), in which a virtual society based on ethnographic empirical information is implemented. Through the implementation of protocols of action based on the systematized sharing sequences, different experiments are performed in order to explore differential distribution of a series of parameters such as Inequality (in natural growth conditions 0, certain sharing practices cause more inequality in relation of population levels ), Survival (in these conditions, certain sharing practices are more effective in long-term) and Resilience (in these conditions, certain sharing practices are more effective when facing a resource crisis)

Small-scale societies and environmental transformations: coevolutionary dynamics

This editorial introduces the special feature of Ecology and Society entitled Small-Scale Societies and Environmental Transformations: Coevolutionary Dynamics. The contributions to this feature explore coevolutionary dynamics developed between small-scale societies and environmental features and the larger-scale effects of these interactions in spatial and chronological terms. Acknowledging the importance of small-scale societies in our evolutionary past and nowadays, contributions to this issue use insights from both archaeological and anthropological case studies, concepts, and methods. This editorial introduces the contributions in three different ways. We start by reviewing the use of the term >small-scale society> in the literature. Then, we briefly examine the concept of >co-evolutionary dynamics> by providing examples of how the process operates between past and present small-scale societies and their surrounding environments. In the last section, we introduce each of the papers.Preliminary versions of the papers collected in this special feature were presented in a 2-day conference on small-scale societies and organized by the editors (http://www.s3et.net/). The guest editors are grateful to all involved authors and reviewers for their time and effort. We acknowledge financial support of SimulPast (CSD 2010-00034) and LEK (ERC-FP7, Grant Agreement 261971). This work contributes to the ICTA 'Unit of Excellence' (MINECO, MDM2015-0552) and the CaSEs research group of the Generalitat de Catalunya (SGR-e 1417).Peer Reviewe

Normas de reparto de recursos y generación de desigualdad en sociedades de pequeña escala : un estudio mediante simulación computacional basado en evidencias etnográficas cualitativas /

El presente trabajo de tesis pretende desarrollar toda una serie de instrumentos metodológicos para explorar los procesos de reparto de recursos y generación y mantenimiento de la desigualdad entre los seres humanos, a través de la construcción de una clasificación sistemática de prácticas de reparto en sociedades de pequeña escala (SPE). El reparto de alimentos es considerado como un rasgo característico de las sociedades humanas y no humanas, así como una de las formas más importante de cooperación por parte de la comunidad científica. Asimismo, el estudio de las causas que producen la desigualdad en el reparto de recursos en las sociedades humanas, así como los mecanismo que la acentúan o la atenúan, ha sido clave en el desarrollo de la Sociología. Los estudios tradicionales se han enfocado en las características individuales de sociedades específicas, a través del análisis de la práctica de reparto dominante identificada en cada sociedad. Posteriormente, en el contexto de la Ecología y la Biología Evolutivas se definieron diferentes modelos evolutivos con el fin de describir y explicar las prácticas de reparto en base a los beneficios hipotéticos que dichos modelos aportan a la supervivencia grupal y social del grupo. Sin embargo, la documentación etnográfica muestra que estos procesos socioeconómicos son el resultado de complejas formas de interacción social, resultantes en diferentes comportamientos y prácticas de reparto. Estas prácticas son características de cada grupo y se desarrollan en secuencias de varias etapas con específicas prácticas que se combinan de manera no excluyente. La combinación de prácticas en secuencias de reparto es diferente en cada sociedad. Este trabajo propone la adopción de un enfoque basado en el examen de la información etnográfica con una perspectiva cross-cultural, recopilando ejemplos concretos de prácticas de reparto que se desarrollan en diversas SPE de manera diaria. Para superar los estudios tradicionales y los modelos evolutivos, se hace necesario variar la escala de análisis, en este caso a través de un acercamiento desde la Sociología Analítica. Este tipo de análisis se basa en descender del nivel macro, donde solo observamos la existencia de un proceso de acción colectiva, al nivel micro, para identificar y estudiar a través de un análisis textual y crítico los mecanismos estructurales y sociales que generan las diferentes prácticas de reparto de recursos. Después, las prácticas identificadas son codificadas de acuerdo a los mecanismos que las generan. La clasificación sistemática resultante permite: ●Identificar y clasificar de manera sistemática y comparar las diferentes secuencias de reparto entre SPE. ●Desarrollar la traslación sistemática de información cualitativa en lenguajes cuantitativos y formales con el fin de avanzar en el desarrollo de distintos tipos de modelos y análisis sobre procesos sociales. ●Su aplicación a diversos casos de estudio actuales, ya que las prácticas de reparto identificadas no están adscritas a un sistema socioeconómico concreto. Finalmente, la clasificación sistemática sirve de base para la construcción de un modelo de simulación computacional basado en agentes (ABM) denominado MSP (Modelling Sharing Practices), en el que se implementa una sociedad virtual de acuerdo a información etnográfica empírica. A través de la implementación de protocolos de actuación basados en las secuencias de reparto sistematizadas, se realizan experimentos relativos a la Desigualdad (en condiciones de crecimiento natural 0, determinadas prácticas de reparto provocan mayor desigualdad en relación a los niveles de población), Supervivencia (en dichas condiciones, determinadas prácticas de reparto son más efectivas a largo plazo) y Resiliencia (en dichas condiciones, determinadas prácticas de reparto son más efectivas ante una crisis de recursos).The present PhD thesis aims at developing a series of theoretical and methodological tools to explore the processes underlying resource sharing as well as the generation and persistence of inequality in human societies, by relying on a novel, systematic classification of sharing practices in small-scale societies (SSS). Food sharing is considered a distinguishing feature of both human and non-human societies, and the scientific community identifies it as one of the most important forms of cooperation. Likewise, the study of the causes that produce inequality in resource sharing within human societies, and the mechanisms that reinforce or attenuate it, have been a key aspect in the development of Sociology. Traditional studies have been focused on the individual characteristics of specific societies, through the analysis of the main sharing practice identified in every society. Later, different evolutionary models were defined within Evolutionary Ecology and Biology in order to describe and explain sharing practices, based on the hypothetic benefits these models add to the group physical and social survival. However, ethnographic sources show us that these socio-economic processes are the result of complex forms of social interaction, resulting in different behaviors and sharing practices. These practices are specific features of every society and are developed in sequences of various stages of sharing practices that combine in a not exclusive. The combination of practices in sharing sequences is different within each society. This thesis proposes the adoption of an approach based on the examination of the ethnographic information with a cross-cultural perspective, recording observable examples of daily sharing practices in different SSS. To overcome the limits of traditional studies and past evolutionary models, it is necessary to change the scale of analysis, in this case through an approach based on Analytical Sociology. This perspective is based on a shift from a macro level, in which we can only observe the presence of a collective action process, to a micro level, where it is possible to identify and investigate the social and structural mechanisms that generate the different sharing practices. Later, the practices identified are codified according to the mechanisms that generate them. The resulting systematic classification allows us to: • Identify, describe, classify, and compare the different sharing sequences of stages of SSS. • Develop the systematic translation of qualitative information into quantitative and formal language, with the aim of improve the development of different types of models and analysis about social processes. • apply the proposed approach to contemporary case studies, since sharing practices are not bound to a specific socio-economic system. Finally, the systematic classification serves as a basis for building an agent based model (ABM) called MSP (Modelling Sharing Practices), in which a virtual society based on ethnographic empirical information is implemented. Through the implementation of protocols of action based on the systematized sharing sequences, different experiments are performed in order to explore differential distribution of a series of parameters such as Inequality (in natural growth conditions 0, certain sharing practices cause more inequality in relation of population levels ), Survival (in these conditions, certain sharing practices are more effective in long-term) and Resilience (in these conditions, certain sharing practices are more effective when facing a resource crisis)

Expanding our frame of reference: cross-cultural modeling for Ethnoarchaeology

Theoretical approaches in ethnoarchaeology have been generally characterized by discourses around analogical reasoning and its implications for archaeology. On the contrary, ethnoarchaeological fieldwork has traditionally been context-specific, and oriented toward certain issues (e.g. the spatial patterning of setdemems and items, the production and circulation of artifacts, the symbolic domain, etc). In this presentation, we tackle the absence of crosscultural ethnoarchaeological data in major ethnographic databases. We explore the possibility of adding to these databascs and use ethnoarchaeological cross-cultural studies to devise generalised models that have unambiguous material correlates and can thus be used to investigate human behaviour in the past.Peer Reviewe