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SUMMARY:Can we infer patterns of cultural transmission from frequency data
 ?  - Enrico Crema (Department of Archaeology &amp\; Anthropology\, Univers
 ity of Cambridge)
DTSTART:20170118T163000Z
DTEND:20170118T173000Z
UID:TALK69646@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Ann Van Baelen
DESCRIPTION:A long tradition of cultural evolutionary studies has develope
 d a rich repertoire of mathematical models of social learning. Early studi
 es have laid the foundation of more recent endeavours to infer patterns of
  cultural transmission from observed frequencies of a variety of cultural 
 data\, including decorative motifs on potsherds\, baby names\, musical pre
 ferences\, and dog breeds. While this wide range of applications provides 
 an opportunity for the development of generalizable analytical workflows\,
  archaeological data present new questions and challenges that require fur
 ther methodological and theoretical discussion.  This paper will overview 
 some recent attempts based on a generative inferential framework whereby a
 lternatives modes of cultural transmission are described as agent-based mo
 dels. In particular\, it will focus on a case study from Neolithic Germany
 \, which will illustrate some of the most challenging aspects imposed by a
 rchaeological data\, including time-averaging\, equifinality\, and unwarra
 nted assumption of equilibrium states.
LOCATION:BioAnth Lecture Theatre (Room 41)\, Division of Biological Anthro
 pology\, Pembroke Street\, Cambridge\, CB2 3QG
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