Quantifying Diversity In Archaeology

Quantifying Diversity in Archaeology aims to examine what we mean by diversity.

Calculating the diversity of biological or cultural classes is a fundamental way of describing, analyzing, and understanding the world around us. Understanding archaeological diversity is key to understanding human culture in the past. Archaeologists have long experienced a tenuous relationship with statistics; however, the regular integration of diversity measures and concepts into archaeological practice is becoming increasingly important. This volume includes chapters that cover a wide range of archaeological applications of diversity measures. Featuring studies of archaeological diversity ranging from the data-driven to the theoretical, from the Paleolithic to the Historic periods, authors illustrate the range of data sets to which diversity measures can be applied, as well as offer new methods to examine archaeological diversity.

Practices of Archaeological Stratigraphy brings together a number of examples which illustrate the development and use of the Harris Matrix in describing and interpreting archaeological sites. This matrix, the theory of which is described in two editions of the previous book by Harris, Principles of Archaeological Stratigaphy, made possible for the first time a simple diagramatic representation of the strategraphic sequence of a site, no matter how complex. The Harris Matrix, by showing in one diagram all three linear dimensions, plus time, represents a quantum leap over the older methods which relied on sample sections only. In this book 17 essays present a sample of new work demonstrating the strengths and uses of the Harris Matrix, the first ever published collection of papers devoted solely to stratigraphy in archaeology. The crucial relationships between the Harris methods, open-area excavation techniques, the interpretation of interfaces, and the use of single-context plans and recording sheets, is clarified by reference to specific sites. These sites range from medieval Europe, through Mayan civilizations to Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. This book will be of great value to all those involved in excavating and recording archaeological sites and should help to ensure that the maximum amount of stratigraphic information can be gathered from future investigations. * Presents case studies which illuminate the Harris matrix method, invented by Edward C. Harris * Senior editor is the inventor of this method and principle in the field * Serves as a companion volume to Harris's Principles of Archaeological Stratigraphy

This book introduces archaeologists to the most important quantitative methods, from the initial description of archaeological data to techniques of multivariate analysis. These are presented in the context of familiar problems in archaeological practice, an approach designed to illustrate their relevance and to overcome the fear of mathematics from which archaeologists often suffer.

This book focuses on the analysis of different scales of mobility and addresses parameters and proxies of population movement aiming at the formation of a ‘ground’ for the further development of quantitative approaches. In order to do so, the volume explores wide scale mobility (environmental contexts and cross-cultural trends), seasonal mobility of Paleolithic and Mesolithic hunter-gatherers, and migration, niche construction, utilitarian and non- utilitarian factors of mobility. Chapters in the volume include case studies from across Europe and Asia. The editors’ introduction addresses the current state of mobility discourse in archaeology. The chapters address questions related to parameters used to describe different factors of movement and examines correlations between parameters describing environmental diversity, demography, and the values representing spatial movement. This volume is of interest to students and researchers of mobility of human beings in the past.

What is the role of neo-Darwinian evolution in explaining variation in prehistoric behavior? Evolutionary Archaeology, a collection of nine papers from a variety of contributors, is the first book-length treatment of the evolutionists' position. All archaeologists, and especially those with a specific interest in method and theory, will find much here to challenge traditional theory, solidify the evolutionists' position, and stir further debate. Evolutionary archaeologists argue that Darwinian natural selection acts on human behavior, resulting in the persistence of alternative human behaviors and the material products of those behaviors. The contributors address the methodological requirements of evolutionary theory as it may apply to the nature of archaeological data. Several contributors evaluate the methodological implications of basic evolutionary principles, including the structure of explanations, the units of evolution and analysis, and the measurement of information transmission. Others explore the role of specific analytic approaches such as seriation, raw material sourcing, and comparative and engineering analyses. Still others confront the issue of reformulating archaeological problems from the point of view of evolutionary theory. By focusing on the methodological requirements of evolutionary theory, these essays go far in meeting the challenge of building new archaeological method. The work contributes to a better understanding of cultural evolution and builds toward a new, logical framework to explain variation in the archaeological record.

The first overview of sampling for archaeologists for over twenty years, this manual offers a comprehensive account of the applications of statistical sampling theory which are essential to modern archaeological practice at a range of scales, from the regional to the microscopic. Bringing archaeologists up to date with an aspect of their work which is often misunderstood, it includes a discussion of the relevance of sampling theory to archaeological interpretation, and considers its fundamental place in fieldwork and post-excavation study. It demonstrates the vast range of techniques that are available, only some of which are widely used by archaeologists. A section on statistical theory also reviews latest developments in the field, and the formal mathematics is available in an appendix, cross-referenced with the main text.

This dictionary provides those studying or working in archaeology with a complete reference to the field.