The enigmas of a continent: The origins of American archaeology, 1750-1850
This article analyzes the birth of American archaeology, during the 18th and the 19th centuries.
TAG:Archaeology
Pollen, phytoliths, and other microscopic plant remains in underwater archaeology
Materials and methods for the recovery and analysis of microscopic plant remains in underwater archaeology. This article explores formation of underwater sites, preservation and potential contamination of botanical remains, sampling techniques, benefits o
Shipwrecks and maritime archaeology
Shipwrecks are the most numerous and distinctive type of site studied by maritime archaeologists. Their uniform characteristics, regardless of date, place and type, mean that virtually all wrecks can be investigated using similar methodologies and researc
Secondary ion mass spectrometry in art and archaeology
The continuous demand for new analytical methods for use in studies of relevance to art and archaeology has prompted researchers to investigate the possible applications of a variety of non-conventional and innovative analytical techniques. Secondary ion
Stone tool-making and brain activation: Position emission tomography (PET) studies
This study introduces to archaeology a new experimental technique for examining the relationship between stone tool-making and brain function. The principal focus of this exploratory study was the development of effective methods for the identification an
The ethnoarchaeology of juvenile foragers: Shellfishing strategies among Meriam children
Recognizing children's contribution to the archaeological record may be crucial for our ideas about the role of children in human evolution. Despite this, analyses of children's activities and how they might shape archaeological patterns are almost enti
Archaeology, palaeoenvironment, and chronology of the Tsodilo Hills white paintings rock shelter, No
Excavations conducted at the White Paintings Rock Shelter (WPS) have uncovered 7m of deposits ranging in age from the historic period to at least 100,000 years at the base. Eleven stratigraphic units are described in relation to palaeoenvironmental condit
FOCUS: Calcite crystals inside archaeological plant tissues
Calcite crystals (CaCO3) have been observed in the reserve tissues of maize (Zea mays mays) seeds and fragments of cassava (Manihot esculenta) roots, both found in indigenous subterranean storage silos, discovered in archaeological sites at Januaria, in t
Recent Holocene paleo-environmental evolution and coastline changes of Kition, Larnaca, Cyprus, Medi
Sedimentological, paleontological analysis and C-14 dating of 17 cores obtained in the vicinity of the Phoenician military harbor (VIII-IV BC) of Kition Bamboula (Cyprus) provide new paleo-environmental information for the reconstruction of shoreline chan
Sample size and related issues in the analysis of lead isotope data
The statistical analysis of lead isotope ratio data in archaeology has attracted considerable controversy, but one area of consensus seems to be that a minimum sample size of 20 is adequate for the satisfactory characterisation of a lead isotope field. Th
Cave detection in limestone using ground penetrating radar
Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is becoming a more common component of the standard array of geophysical techniques that are used by archaeologists. In this paper, we report on the use of GPR to survey an area of archaeologically important karst topography
Flake size from platform attributes: Predictive and empirical approaches
Differences between tools' original and discarded sizes bear on classification, curation and other interpretive issues in Palaeolithic archaeology. Recent experiments demonstrated significant relationships between platform size and original flake size bu
Multidisciplinary approaches to the geoarchaeological evaluation of deeply stratified sedimentary se
Archaeological evaluation of deeply stratified sedimentary sequences from lowland river valleys can be problematic because of the often excessive depth of the deposits, the associated high level of the water table and ground instability. In such situation
St. Kilda: Family, community, and the wider world
During most of its recorded history (essentially 1698-1930) the people of St. Kilda (a small and remote archipelago in Scotland and now a World Heritage site) were members of a closely knit, communitarian society. Their habit of locking their doors forms
Patterns in caves: Foragers, horticulturists, and the use of space
Evidence concerning use of space in caves and rockshelters by present-day foragers and horticulturists in tropical and arid regions is reviewed. The implications of this evidence for cave/rockshelter archaeology are investigated. The various ways in which