The archaeology of territory and territoriality

The concept of territory has been variously used by scholars of many fields to denote a specifi c space or spaces to which individuals or groups of animals and humans are attached on a relatively exclusive and permanent basis. Here, discussion of territory is confi ned to modern humans, even though many useful things may be gleaned from the spatial frameworks of other species. The conceptual treatment of territory and territoriality, as well as relevant examples, focuses on nonindustrial or non-nation-state societies, because these provide the most parsimonious analogs for interpreting the majority of Indigenous archaeological contexts.