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(Terms in italics are defined elsewhere in the glossary)
macrofamily Classificatory term in linguistics, referring to a group of language families showing sufficient similarities to suggest that they are genetically related (e.g. the Nostratic macrofamily, seen by some linguists as a unit embracing the Indo-European, Afro-Asiatic, Uralic, Altaic, and Kartvelian language families). (Chapters 11 & 12)
market exchange A mode of exchange which implies both a specific location for transactions and the sort of social relations where bargaining can occur. It usually involves a system of price-making through negotiation. (Chapter 9)
Marxist archaeology Based principally on the writings of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, this posits a materialist model of societal change. Change within a society is seen as the result of contradictions arising between the forces of production (technology) and the relations of production (social organization). Such contradictions are seen to emerge as a struggle between distinct social classes. (Chapter 12)
material culture The buildings, tools, and other artifacts that constitute the material remains of former societies. (Introduction)
matrix The physical material within which artifacts are embedded or supported.
(Chapter 2)
Maya calendar A method employed by the Maya of measuring the passage of time, comprising two separate calendar systems: (1) the Calendar Round, used for everyday purposes; (2) the Long Count, used for the reckoning of historical dates. (Chapter 4)
megalithic yard A metrological unit ( c . 2.72 ft ) proposed by Alexander Thom, and argued by him, on statistical grounds, as the standard unit of length used in the construction of megalithic monuments in Britain and France. (Chapter 10)
Mesolithic An Old World chronological period beginning around 10,000 years ago, between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic , and associated with the rise to dominance of microliths . (Chapter 8)
metallographic examination A technique used in the study of early metallurgy involving the microscopic examination of a polished section cut from an artifact, which has been etched so as to reveal the metal structure. (Chapter 8)
methodological individualism (individualistic method) Approach to the study of societies which assumes that thoughts and decisions do have agency, and that actions and shared institutions can be interpreted as the products of the decisions and actions of individuals. (Chapters 1 & 12)
microlith A tiny stone tool, characteristic of the Mesolithic period, many of which were probably used as barbs. (Chapter 8)
microwear analysis The study of the patterns of wear or damage on the edge of stone tools, which provides valuable information on the way in which the tool was used. (Chapter 8)
midden The accumulation of debris and domestic waste resulting from human use. The long-term disposal of refuse can result in stratified deposits, which are useful for relative dating . (Chapter 7)
Middle Range Theory A conceptual framework linking raw archaeological data with higher-level generalizations and conclusions about the past which can be derived from this evidence. (Introduction)
Midwestern taxonomic system A framework devised by McKern (1939) to systematize sequences in the Great Plains area of the United States, using the general principle of similarities between artifact assemblages . (Chapter 1)
MNI (minimum number of individuals) A method of assessing species abundance in faunal assemblages based on a calculation of the smallest number of animals necessary to account for all the identified bones. Usually calculated from the most abundant bone or tooth from either the left or right side of the animal. (Chapter 7)
mobiliary art A term used for the portable art of the Ice Age, comprising engravings and carvings on small objects of stone, antler, bone, and ivory. (Chapter 10)
monocausal explanation Explanations of culture change (e.g. for state origins) which lays stress on a single dominant explanatory factor or "prime mover." (Chapter 12)
M ssbauer spectroscopy A technique used in the analysis of artifact composition, particularly iron compounds in pottery. It involves the measurement of the gamma radiation absorbed by the iron nuclei, which provides information on the particular iron compounds in the sample, and hence on the conditions of firing when the pottery was being made. (Chapter 9)
mtDNA Mitochondrial DNA , present in the mitochondria - organelles in the cell engaged in energy production. MtDNA has a circular structure involving some 16,000 base pairs and is distinct from nuclear DNA ; mtDNA is not formed by recombination, but is passed on exclusively in the female line. (Chapters 5, 11 & 12)
multi-dimensional scaling (MDSCAL) A multivariate statistical technique which aims to develop spatial structure from numerical data by estimating the differences and similarities between analytical units. (Chapter 5)
multiplier effect A term used in systems thinking to describe the process by which changes in one field of human activity (subsystem) sometimes act to promote changes in other fields (subsystems) and in turn act on the original subsystem itself. An instance of positive feedback , it is thought by some to be one of the primary mechanisms of societal change. (Chapter 12)
multivariate explanation Explanation of culture change, e.g. the origin of the state, which, in contrast to monocausal approaches, stresses the interaction of several factors operating simultaneously. (Chapter 12)
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