Rubbish, Relatives, and Residence: The Family Use of Middens

Secondary refuse deposits such as middens may be used for intrasite comparisons of consumption, status, ethnicity, or activities. Our analysis of residence and household discard patterns in the modern village of Dalupa in the Pasil River Valley in Kalinga Province, the Philippines, suggests that midden assemblages may be used to compare the refuse of extended families. We define three types of middens (household, local, and communal) on the basis of catchment zones and describe their spatial distribution. Almost all middens in Dalupa are dominated by contributions from one family group based on mother–daughter relationships, despite some deviation from ideal residence patterns.