Barbara J Mills Wins 2006 Willey Prize

Janet Levy
Archeology Division President-Elect

Barbara J Mills

The Archaeology Division of the AAA is presenting the 2006 Gordon R Willey award to University of Arizona Professor Barbara J Mills for her article, “The Establishment and Defeat of Hierarchy: Inalieable Possessions and the History of Collective Prestige Structures in the Pueblo Southwest” (American Anthropologist, 106:2, June 2004).

The Willey award, established in 1997, recognizes an outstanding contribution to archaeology published in American Anthropologist. The award is named for the late Gordon R Willey, president of the AAA in 1961 and recognizes excellent archaeological writing that contributes to anthropological research in general.

In this article, Mills examines the contexts and complexities of hierarchical social systems, challenging simplistic understandings of ranking and stratification in pre-state societies. By incorporating Annette Weiner’s concept of inalienable objects into her analysis, Mills integrates symbolic and ritual value with economic and social factors. She focuses on the rich archaeological and ethnographic record of the Puebloan societies to develop an archaeology of inalienable objects and to evaluate how these material goods contribute to both the development of and resistance to hierarchical social relations.

In addition, Mills integrates information about gendered production and use of inalienable objects into her analysis, encouraging a nuanced understanding that recognizes the diversity of persons and hierarchical relationships within societies. Her work enriches ongoing anthropological discussions about social inequality.

The Willey award carries a $1,000 prize and will be presented at the annual business meeting of the Archeology Division of the AAA on the evening of November 17, 2006.