Final answer:
Feminist anthropology challenges the universal gender division in historical artifact interpretation, arguing for a culturally variable understanding of gender roles.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to the text, feminist anthropology is critical of the assumption that the meanings of artifacts across space and over time should be interpreted in terms of a universal male-female division. This field emphasizes how historic archaeological practices often overlooked or misinterpreted women's roles in past societies. Instead, feminist anthropology seeks to understand the diversity of gender roles on their own terms, informed by feminist theory, and demonstrates that gender roles are culturally variable and not strictly biologically determined.
Feminist archaeology challenges the essentialist views which suggest a rigid division of labor based on gender, as seen in archaeological interpretations like those of Marija Gimbutas. Instead, feminist archaeologists use various kinds of evidence, including the discovery of female hunters, to show that gender roles can be flexible and that women have played a variety of roles in history. Furthermore, feminist anthropology aims to incorporate women’s perspectives and activities into historical narratives, thus achieving a more accurate representation of past societies.