The theoretical frameworks of historical archeology, its possibilities and limits

Abstract

This paper presents the theoretical frameworks that direct Historical Archae­ology in the Americas in the light of the main trends of archaeological thought, par­ticularly in the last four decades, which at times situate the discipline in the field of Anthropology, and at times in the field of History. We discuss its possibilities and limits, propose an integrating perspective, and defend the archaeology of capitalism as a suitable focus for the discipline.