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Like archaeological Tells, large mounds resulting from the accumulation of human settlement debris, the remains of virtual communities can inform researchers about phenomena operating at many levels. However, for excavations to be effective, they need to be conducted within the framework of a scientific research program. The theory of interactive communication in cyber places developed here distinguishes between the social relationships that emerge from interactive group computer-mediated communication, and the cyber places where such communication occurs. It also links the density and form of cyber material to communication technology types. In so doing, it identifies four distinct levels of analysis: i) individual behavior or social theory; ii) spatial and temporal patterning of artifacts in cyberspace; iii) technology and the parameters of human interaction; and iv) cyber-ecology or online behavior and …