One of the most fundamental problems in archaeology is interpreting the spatial distribution of artifacts and styles. There is a particularly long tradition of argument about the meaning of widespread art styles and artifacts assemblages, in other words, the spread of archaeological ‘cultures’ or ‘horizon styles’. In Mesoamerica, the spread of ‘Olmec’ and ‘Olmecoid’ artifacts, ritual practices and iconography is a case that has generated many explanatory models. In this article, I draw on studies of modern cultural practices like beauty pageants and the marketing of consumer products to suggest some alternative modes of archaeological interpretation. In particular, the idea of ‘common difference’ may provide a richer and more complex way of thinking about the spread of styles and practices.
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