Cultural transmission, language, and basketry traditions amongst the California Indians

Abstract

Much recent debate has focussed on the relative significance of phylogenetic (branching) versus ethnogenetic (culture contact induced) processes of cultural transformation. In this paper we employ a long-term and regional framework to analyse the transmission of languages and craft traditions amongst Californian Indian groups. Initial results suggest that basketry assemblages exhibit a significant ethnogenetic signal, arising from the horizontal transmission of cultural attributes across sharply defined linguistic boundaries. These findings converge with those from other regions, where geographic propinquity rather than linguistic affinity has been shown to have a slightly greater—but not exclusive—influence on the composition of material culture assemblages. However, the results presented here also indicate that despite these broader similarities local basketry traditions remain relatively distinct, and therefore cannot be explained through ethnogenesis alone. It remains a possibility that differential rates of cumulative innovation in language and craft traditions may have been present, leading to the erosion of phylogenetic signals for shared descent and the rapid emergence of distinct local basketry traditions. These issues require further research at a sub-regional scale.