Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory and symmetrical archaeology are underlying principles and theoretical framework that looks at the arrangements of symmetrical relationships of human behaviors such as past and present, people and place, individuals and society, biology and culture in various systems. It is a way to view how humans are intrinsically interconnected to everything in our world. In this case, the relationship of my study is how humans are "drivers" or "actors" in complexities of nature, specifically in ecosystems. The symmetrical relationship between humans and plants, directly and indirectly, shape our environment and our culture. In this example, photographed is a purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) at this angle, in part, to demonstrate two observable phenomena. One is to show the symmetry found in nature as it is artistically photographed here and the other is the symmetrical relationship between humans and plants. E. purpurea was and is widely used by the Plains Indians and Choctaw Native Americans for a painkiller, cough treatment, and gastro-intestinal aid and later used as an immune-stimulant in modern medicine. This symmetrical relationship established that the human need for medicinal treatment which slowly turns into a symbiotic relationship making a connection between humans and plants. The connection then alters the environment indirectly to support both species. Then finally, the cultural aspect of humanity is imbued to the object, in this case, the purple coneflower creating the bio-cultural symmetrical relationship.
Type
DSLR
Artist Affiliation
Graduate Student
Department
Anthropology
Area of Research
Zooarchaeology, paleoethnobotany, environment and ecology, and households in archaeology