Use of analogies in archaeology?

In reading Brian John's blog on the analogy he explored, relating Stonehenge, Bluestonhenge, and Woodhenge in Wales to ritual/funerary practices in Madagascar, my (already established) hesistation to draw cross-cultural analogies was reinforced.  As John explored, and was supported by a friend who was extremely familiar with the area, there is actually very little in common between the two places.  He thinks it is a mistake to attempt to make analogies between two areas that have virtually nothing to do with each other, despite potential funerary practices and worship rituals. 

While I agree that it is a huge mistake to apply our cultural knowledge to to the cultures of others, particularly when we have little to no evidence of the culture at the time to which it dates; I also think that it is natural to search for similarities cross-culturally in an attempt to understand some (perhaps, if it even exists?) human universals, or common patterns.  I don't believe that there will ever be a universal - there will always be exceptions, but there are likely some similarities, and I think archaeologists (along with all sorts of people!) will always be searching for that.  It is difficult to me to draw a line between applying ethnocentric views to other cultural areas; although I think it wrong to do so, I also think that little to nothing could be formulated if no analogies (and perhaps some culturally educated imagination from the area in question to fill in the blanks) were used. 

This is an area of archaeology that has always been so difficult for me to grasp (likely, as little can be actually quantified, and in text books I repeatedly find myself reading: "but remember, this isn't universal!")  Wouldn't it be lovely if this disclaimer could be at the beginning of the chapter, so we could proceed to learn about particular areas and cultural practices?  We should certainly be taught to think critically, to question the universality of evidence/claims, but also be free to make some connections cross-culturally? 

If this made any sense at all. :) Happy friday everyone!