Archaeology in Practice: A Student Guide to Archaeological Analyses offers students in archaeology laboratory courses a detailed and invaluable how-to manual of archaeological methods and provides insight into the breadth of modern archaeology.

Written by specialists of material analyses, whose expertise represents a broad geographic range
Includes numerous examples of applications of archaeological techniques
Organized by material types, such as animal bones, ceramics, stone artifacts, and documentary sources, or by themes, such as dating, ethics, and report writing
Written accessibly and amply referenced to provide readers with a guide to further resources on techniques and their applications
Enlivened by a range of boxed case studies throughout the main text

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Yes, you can access Archaeology in Practice by Jane Balme, Alistair Paterson, Jane Balme,Alistair Paterson in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Social Sciences & Archaeology. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Information

Publisher

Year

Print ISBN

eBook ISBN

Edition

Topic

Social Sciences

Subtopic

Archaeology

Index

Social Sciences

Chapter Abstracts
Preface and Acknowledgments
Notes on Contributors
1 Finding Sites
Introduction
Archaeological Prospection
Remote Sensing
Aerial photography
Remote imaging
High-altitude photography
Multispectral imaging
Thermal imaging
Airborne radar and LIDAR
Field Methods
Reconnaissance survey
Earthwork survey
Intrusive and semi- intrusive methods
Metal detection
Geochemical survey
Ground-Based Remote Sensing: Geophysical Methods
Electrical methods
Magnetic techniques
Topsoil magnetic susceptibility survey
Electromagnetic EM)detection: ground-penetrating radar
Other geophysical methods
Underwater geophysical techniques
The Future Role and Development Archaeological Prospecting
Acknowledgments
Resources
References
2 Consulting Stakeholders
Introduction
What and Who is an Archaeological Stakeholder?
A Brief History of Interaction between Archaeologists and Other Stakeholders
Learning to work with stakeholders: a personal journey
Learning to work with stakeholders:a discipline ’s journey
Differing Ways of Knowing the Past
True or valid?
How can there be different versions of the same past?
General Thoughts about How to Consult with Stakeholders
Speci •c Issues and Concerns
Differential power levels
Competing claims
Informed consent
When pasts con •ict
Good Examples of Consultation with Stakeholders
Why Consult with Stakeholders? The Past as Cultural and Intellectual Property
Acknowledgments
References
3 Rock-Art
What is Rock-Art?
How is Rock-Art Made?
Classi •cation
Technique
Form
Motif
Size
Character
How is Rock-Art Recorded?
Photography
Drawing and sketching
Tracing
Counting
How is Rock-Art Analyzed?
Informed methods
Formal (or structural)methods
Spatial distribution analysis
Information exchange and stylistic heterogeneity
Gendered behavior and art
Statistical techniques
Diachronic change
Dating art
Differential weathering and patination
Chronology from spatial analysis
Superimposition analysis
Stylistic dating
Association of dated portable art
Association with dated archaeological deposit or art materials
Portrayal of datable subject matter
Direct (or absolute) dating
Case Study The Depiction of Species in Macropod Track Engravings
The zoological experiment
The results
The archaeological experiment
Interpretation of the Sturt ’s Meadows art
Conclusion
Resources
Further reading
References
4 Stratigraphy
Introduction
What is Stratigraphy?
Why do Archaeologists Study Strati •cation?
How do Different Layers Occur in Archaeological Sites?
Principles (or laws)of stratigraphy
Sources of disturbance
Excavation and Stratigraphy
Recording Strati •cation
The Harris Matrix: interpreting the spatial record
Creating Analytical Units
Case Study Sos Höyük
Conclusion
Acknowledgments
Resources
Further reading
References
5 Absolute Dating
Introduction
Chronometry
Sidereal methods
Isotopic methods
Radiogenic methods
Chemical and biological methods
Geomorphic methods
Limits on Chronometric Techniques
Maximum limits
Minimum limits
Limits on radiogenic techniques
Precision
From Age Estimates to Chronology
Temporal Resolution and Behavioral Variation
Fidelity and resolution
Time averaging
Multiple Scales of Time
Case Study 1 Assessing Different Scales of Time at Bone Cave
Case Study 2 Time Perspectivism in Practice,Stud Creek, Western New South Wales
Geomorphological history
Heat-retainer hearths
Stud Creek chronology
Conclusion
Acknowledgments
Further reading
References
6 An Introduction to Stone Artifact Analysis
Introduction
An overview
Why study stone artifacts?
What are stone artifacts?
How are they made?
How do you recognize different techniques?
Analyzing Stone Artifacts
Research design
What are you trying to •nd out?
How do you build your questions?
Are some analyses more meaningful than others?
Classifying an assemblage of stone artifacts
Why classify?
Are there rules of classi •cation?
What are the different types of classi •cation?
What are the different methods of classi •cation?
How do you choose between classi •catory systems?
How do you build your own classi •cation?
Choosing attributes to record and measure
What attributes should you choose?
What is a “basic ” analysis?
Managing data
How should you record your attributes?
When do you need to use statistics and what statistics are most useful?
Measuring extent of reduction
Why measure reduction?
How do you measure core reduction?
How do you measure •ake reduction?
How can you explore blank selection?
How do you measure retouch?
Dealing with dif •cult assemblages
What if most of your artifacts are broken or damaged?
What should you do if you can ’t tell artifacts from natural rocks?
What if you only have a small number of stone artifacts?
How can you overcome sample size effects?
When do you need specialist archaeometric analyses?
Determining the type and •aking properties of stone
How do you identify different raw material types?
How do you determine whether it is good-or poor-quality stone?
Sourcing stone artifacts
Why is sourcing important?
How do you •nd out which source an artifact came from?
What is an adequate sample?
Conclusion
Acknowledgments
References
7 Residues and Usewear
Introduction
Functional Analysis
Methodology, Experiments,and Procedures
Microscopes
Artifact Cleaning
Plant Residues Found on Artifacts
Starch
Raphides
Phytoliths
Resin,gums, waxes,and other exudates
Animal Residues Found on Artifacts
Hair and feathers
Blood
Bone
Shell
Usewear
Scarring or edge fracturing
Striations
Polish
Edge rounding
Beveling
Post-depositional damage
Hafting traces
Conclusion
Acknowledgments
Resources
Further reading
References
8 Ceramics
Introduction
What is a “Ceramic ”?
How is Pottery Made?
Clay preparation
Object formation
Pre-•re decoration
Firing
Post-•re treatment
Handling of Ceramics During and After Excavation
Careful excavating
Cleaning ceramics
Marking ceramics
Repairing ceramics
Initiating an Analytical Program for Ceramics
Prefatory issues before undertaking an analytical program
Quantitative analysis of ceramics
Sampling for laboratory analysis
How to begin analysis and select an appropriate analytical method
Areas of Ceramics Research and their Analytical Approaches
Technology studies
Usewear studies of ceramics
Dating of ceramics
Identifying the potters
Sourcing of ceramics
Resources
References
9 Animal Bones
Introduction
Project Planning, Sampling,and Recovery
Look Before You Dig – On--Site Observation
Bagging and Tagging
The Laboratory
Making the Record
Using the Record – Quanti •cation
Conclusion
Resources
References
10 Plant Remains
Introduction:A Scene
Macroscopic Plant Remains
What can Plant Remains Contribute to Archaeology?
The relationship between people and plants
Plants and technology
Plants and regional subsistence
Archaeological theories and plants
What are the Problems (and Solutions)for Identifying and Determining the Origin of Macroscopic Plant Remains?
Technical problems in analyzing macro- plants,and their solutions
Archaeological sources
Ethnobotany and ethnoarchaeology
What Kinds of Methods can be Effectively Used to Retrieve and Analyze Plant Remains?
Basic plant classi •cation
Archaeological retrieval and identi •cation of seeds and fruits
Wood and charcoal
More problems in the analysis of plant remains
Case Study Plant Remains from Kawambarai Cave,near Coonabarabran,Eastern Australia (by Wendy Beck and Dee Murphy)
The excavations
Recovery techniques
Quanti •cation methods
Case study results
Case study conclusions
Conclusion
Further reading
References
11 Mollusks and Other Shells
Introduction
Background
The Creation of Middens
The Identi •cation of Middens
Field Procedures
Dating Middens
Laboratory Procedures
Mechanical Sorting
Hand Sorting into Components
Shell •sh Analysis
Identi •cation of Shell •sh and Other Species
Further Analysis
Shell Artifacts
Fish Remains
Interpretation
Acknowledgments
Resources
References
12 Sediments
Introduction
Granulometry
pH
Organic Matter
Phosphorus
Case Study 1 Prehistoric Canals in the American Southwest
Case Study 2 Kennewick Man,Washington State,USA
Conclusion
Resources
References
13 Artifacts of the Modern World
Introduction
Cataloging Artifacts
Domestic Ceramics
Clay Tobacco Pipes
Bottle Glass
Glass Tools
Beads and Buttons
Metal Containers
Firearms
Building Materials
Cemeteries and Gravestones
Artifact Analysis
Case Study Kelly and Lucas ’s Whaling Station,Adventure Bay, Tasmania,Australia
Resources
Further reading
References
14 Historical Sources
Introduction
Archaeology and Historical Sources
Preparing for research
Identifying sources
Verify,evaluate, and discriminate
Case Study The Use of Documents at Annapolis
Long-term history
Social time
Individual time
What are the Relationships between Documents and Archaeological Evidence?
Identi •cation
Complement
Hypothesis formation and testing
Contradiction
Confronting myths
Creating context
Making an archaeological contribution to history
Resources
Further reading
References
15 Producing the Record
Introduction
First Decisions
What do I want to write about?
Who is my audience?
Structure
Introduction
Background
Methods
Results
Conclusions
The abstract
References
Acknowledgments
Writing
Language
Writing for Publication
Target carefully
Start afresh
Follow instructions
Think about illustrations and tables
Reference ef •ciently
Read the proofs carefully
Conclusion
Acknowledgments
Appendix:getting things right
Further reading
References
Index

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