Often the expressed views have left the reader with a sort of “cliff-hanger” interpretation, as they seemed final and conclusive, but one wonders how the leap to archaeological cultures is made from e.g. a mound of systematised pottery or large amounts of typologically arranged metals. This paper tries to address this shortcoming after presenting a brief overview of the concept. In an attempt to deconstruct, two major generalisations and an essential paradox are emphasised, in order to underscore the unsteady nature of the construct. Lastly, alternative pathways are suggested to solve this fallacy of rhetoric and sometimes of thinking as well. Although the mind-set is post-structuralist, the benefits of some positivistic and structuralist approaches are highlighted and incorporated in the suggested solutions.
‘Kritik der reinen Vernunft’: Archaeological cultures