Material Traces of Marketplaces and How to Read Them – Ethnoarchaeological Data from a Rural Weekly Market (Souk) in the High Atlas Mountains, Morocco

Abstract

The ethnoarchaeological documentation of a contemporary weekly market in the High Atlas Mountains (Morocco) provides empirical data on three topics that serve as ‘food for archaeological imagination’ and could help archaeologists better identify and understand past marketplaces.
Regarding the first topic, market life, we argue that marketplaces are usually much more than just places for the exchange of goods. They are shaped by a broad range of economic and social activities and can be described as networks collectively created by diverse human and non-human actors. To recognize and comprehend these networks, a broader perspective is necessary – one that goes beyond economic transactions and human actors.
The second topic, market traces, demonstrates that certain market activities leave material evidence that can be identified using various archaeological methods, including architectural investigations, analysis of small finds as well as applications from geoarchaeology and archaeozoology. However, reading material traces of marketplaces requires a cautious approach with consideration of the specific context.
Finally, with regard to the third topic, taphonomy, various natural and anthropogenic factors strongly influence material remains of marketplaces by mixing, relocating, transforming or completely destroying them. While this complicates interpretation, taphonomic processes can also be viewed as a valuable source of information concerning waste handling and resource management.