  Dunnell's (1989) explanation for cultural elaboration proposed that
elaboration could be a consequence of selection within uncertain environments.
He developed the theory to the extent that it performed well explaining the
distribution of elaboration at regional scales within eastern North America.
More detailed studies require more detailed development of the theory, so that
additional hypotheses and implications can be deduced. We draw upon theories of
selection in fluctuating environments and portions of life history theory to
propose a formal model of selection for "waste" in uncertain environments. We
use agent-based simulation to explore the sufficiency of the theory for
explaining the maintenance of high levels of elaboration within populations,
and deduce novel implications for archaeological evidence usable by others to
test the utility of Dunnell's model in specific localities.
