Fractal Worlds: An Archaeology of Nested Spatial Scales

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Archaeologists approach their evidence at numerous scales, from the intercontinental distributions of people and their things to the microscopic structure in a thin section. This is possible and worthwhile, in part, because people in the past also acted in, and conceived of, their worlds at a variety of scales. The precontact Inuit record reveals not only large-scale regional networks and intricate site structures, but also the diminutive worlds depicted in toys, amulets, and figurative art. The human body was the most popular object of this miniaturization discourse, and it served to anchor the fractal-like proliferation of imagined worlds in everyday bodily experience.Key words: precontact Inuit; miniatures; toys; figurines; fractals; body RÉSUMÉ. Les archéologues abordent leurs éléments de preuve sous différents angles, de la répartition intercontinentale des gens et leurs objets à une structure microscopique faisant partie d'une mince section. Cela est possible et intéressant, en partie, parce que par le passé, les gens agissaient sur leur monde et le concevaient également à différentes échelles. Les documents sur la période précontact avec les Inuits révèlent non seulement des réseaux régionaux à grande échelle et des structures de site complexes, mais également un monde miniature représenté par des jouets, des amulettes et de l'art figuratif. Le corps humain était le sujet le plus populaire de ces miniaturisations, car il a permis d'ancrer la prolifération fractale des expériences corporelles de tous les jours dans le monde imaginaire.

On the Periphery of the Inka Empire: Spatial Arrangement at the Pre-Hispanic Rock-art Site of Villavil 2 (Catamarca, Argentina)

“…The metaphor of a fractal landscape encapsulates the idea that one same structuring principle permeates the spatial relations at different scales. Although the materialization of that idea may change significantly from place to place and across different scales, and archaeologically some are more evident or detectable than others, it makes sense to think of that kind of self-similarity in different scales and spheres because, in the end, 'people in the past thought about their world at different scales too' (Whitridge 2016).…”

The sovereign seeress

“…Hence, the act of being seated is simulated through the miniaturised chair, and the 'item for act' metonymic relation therefore piggy-backs on the knowledge and experience people have with this particular furniture type -both with regards to its physical affordances and social setting. Importantly, due to the lack of function the metonymic structure is solely constituted by the material qualities of the pendant itself, and the very simple notion of proportion becomes a defining factor in creating the metonymic relation (Jessen 2013, 331-333;Whitridge 2016). Consequently, by downscaling the chair, an explanation based on the natural functioning of the pendants becomes less plausible, and for that reason a mimetic explanation seems justifiable (Knappett 2012; see also Edgeworth 2010).…”

The Symbolic Use of Whetstones and Their Role in Displaying Authority over Metallurgical Processes and Trade

“…Accordingly, in this 'ritualised metallurgy' these subtle symbolic miniaturised oblong ring-mounted objects appear almost 'out of context'. Thus, the morphology of the whetstone shapes almost takes on a fractal reappearance across materials where the proportional considerations are neglected in favour of a symbolic reference to the distant originals (Whitridge 2016). However, when an object is downscaled -or up-scaled -its original application is also subject to change.…”