Because I am not buying the PAS 'propaganda of success' stories and question the tenets on which that organization is founded, a FLO accuses this blog of being Fake News. It is an interesting fact that the cumulative map showing where this blog has been read in the USA matches uncannily other maps, such as this one:
We all know how large a role Kossinnist distribution maps play in the kinds of retro-archaeology the PAS encourages 'researchers' to do with their 'data', and this is one example of the use of this methodology to interpret social phenomena (and you have to think a bit harder to get to the real significance of why I am using it to make this point). And there's not many Mexicans reading this blog, either.
Map from here.
The Durham FLO cannot seem to work out how the comments section under this blog, but this is what he had to say:
ReplyDelete"Not only questionable news, but click bait too?
You're seriously arguing that using distribution maps as one tool (amongst many) in archaeological research is 'retro-archaeology'?
And you evidence this with a big foot map?
I think you need to have a lie down."
I think up in Durham they don't really do irony.
Firstly, yes, actually I am indeed seriously suggesting that using distribution maps as a major research tool, as PAS data tend most often to be used by UK researchers, is indeed retro-archaeology. It is what culture-history and Kossinnism was based on. Mr Westwood seems to be confused why there is a Bigfoot map here that shows the same pattern as where this blog is most read in the US.... as I said, one has to think a bit harder to get to the real significance of why I am using it to make this point. For Mr Westwood, that seems to have been too much of an intellectual effort.