Ethno Archaeology DefinitionEthno Archaeology is one of the studies in the discipline of archeology that studies and uses ethnographic data to handle or help solve problems of archeology. From that sense, the ethnographic method is needed in archeology, among others, to understand how an object has meaning and value in the eyes of society, and how an object's function. Keep in mind that the core of ethnography is an effort to pay attention to the meaning of the actions of society we want to understand, which is expressed through language (myths, fairy tales) and actions (taboos, rituals, daily behavior, etc.).

Archaeological remains of the Wilis Mountains, for example, commonly associated with the story of Dewi Sekar Taji. The relevance of ethnography for archaeologists, one of which lies in the quest for myth or story about the Goddess Sekar Taji. Unlike the search for the remains of archaeological surveys, data collection would not want to interview, record it systematically in the notebook field, and then write a report.

The question that arises then is, whether the role of ethnography in the discipline etnoarkeologi limited only to help understand the values ​​or objects of archaeological significance? Above we mentioned that ethnography is used to help deal with or solve the problems of archeology. As for the problems of archaeological quite diverse. To understand the usefulness Ethno Archaeology, then we need to mendudukan study in which the orientation of the archaeological paradigm.

Basically, the problems of archaeological framed by three basic paradigms, namely (1) develop cultural history, (2) reconstruct the ways of life, and (3) describes the process of cultural change. Ethno Archaeology as a term proposed by the adherents of archaeological renewal (new Archaeology) in the 1960s as one strategy to reconstruct the ways of life. It appears from the opinion of at least one penggasanya, Carol Kramer, who stated that etnoarkeologi examines aspects of contemporary behavior masnusia of archaeological perspective. Ethno Archaeologist, according to Kramer, trying systematically to find the relationships between behavior and material culture which is often not revealed by the ethnologist, and ascertain how the behavior patterns of observations that can be used to explain the archeological remains that may be found (Kramer, 1979: 1 ).

In addition to Kramer, there are many archaeologists who try to formulate the definition of Ethno Archaeology. Here are some definitions of Ethno Archaeology according to experts.

Ethno Archaeology is the study of material culture in the context of the system to obtain information, either specifically or generally, which can be used in archaeological studies (Schiffer, 1978)

Use of analaogi theoretically resulting from the present observations to assist in the interpretation of past events and processes (Kramer, 1979)

Ethno Archaeology is the study of community living which is regarded as archaeological data that will later they left behind, along with the behavior depicted in that community (Orme, 1981: 22-23)

Ethno Archaeology is a branch of archaeological disciplines who seek to learn and use ethnography to address the problems of archeology (Mundardjito, 1981)
Ethno Archaeology is a collection of original ethnographic data which can assist in interpreting the archaeological (Stanislawski, 1982)

Approach that tries to determine how behavior can be seen reflected in a legacy that can be found by archaeologists (Kramer, 1982)

Ethno Archaeology is the study which includes the use and meaning of artifacts, buildings, and structures present in a society that is still alive, and how the goods were incorporated in the archaeological record (Colin and Paul Bahn, 1991)

Based on some understanding etnoarkeologi above, it is clear that the Ethno Archaeology is a tool, not the data. Many archaeologists consider Ethno Archaeology as data, whereas the data in the study of Ethno Archaeology is the ethnographic data. Therefore many studies Ethno Archaeology that could not be distinguished from ethnography, because these studies stop at the presentation of ethnographic data.

The research report presented archaeologist quite comprehensive, ranging from residential zoning to the belief system. Whether such a study would be called the study etnoarkeologi? As long as he has presented ethnographic data, then the research can not be called a study of Ethno Archaeology. If you want to be called Ethno Archaeology studies, then he should package it as an example of interpretation or formulating it into a model or assumptions that can be used to deal with archaeological issues.