Concepts that are drawn from an often very superficial knowledge of economic, social, and cultural anthropology are commonly used in archaeological interpretations. This paper proposes a means for improving the conditions for interpreting remains, particularly with regards to functional interpretations. This theoretical presentation is illustrated by a specific example: the notion of “prestige goods,” which is often used by archaeologists. In the current archaeological approach, the transition from typological constructions (Tc) to explanatory constructions (Ec) that deal with the economic, social, political, and ideological components of societies often exposes a rift that needs to be repaired. In an attempt to clarify the scope of the terms used at the anthropological level, this paper will proceed according to a “logicist” approach in five sections: (1) Analysis of the characteristics of objects deemed to be relevant in order to define the concept of “prestige good” and the implications of shared meaning at the functional level; (2) The anthropological foundations of this concept; (3) The proposal of a trans-cultural model; (4) Application to concrete ethnographic examples taken from the Guro in the Ivory Coast and in the kingships of the forest region of West Africa; and finally (5) Evaluation of the relevance of the concept at the archaeological level. It will thus be shown that a “prestige good” is an item that has been taken out of the economic sphere in order to fulfill its social obligations, and that it is impossible to define a “prestige good” solely by using its intrinsic characteristics (materials, ornaments, etc.).