The design of archaeological surveys

Abstract Archaeological survey design is viewed as a problem in choosing techniques for site and artefact discovery that are most cost‐effective given the particular archaeological and environmental characteristics of the study area. Uncontrollable factors of the study area discussed are abundance, clustering, obtrusiveness of archaeological materials, and visibility and accessibility. Both purposive and probabilistic techniques for varying discovery probabilities are examined within the framework of recovery theory. In addition, other considerations involved in survey design are reviewed, including field crews, site definition, recording procedures, surface collecting and testing. Finally, a three‐stage survey programme is outlined, wherein stress is laid on acquiring the knowledge needed for making decisions about survey techniques.

[1]  Gregory A. Johnson.  Aspects of Regional Analysis in Archaeology , 1977 .

[2]  Robert F. Heizer,et al.  Field methods in archaeology , 1975 .

[3]  Stuart Struever.  Comments on Archaeological Data Requirements and Research strategy , 1971, American Antiquity.

[4]  The Management of Archeological Resources: the Airlie House Report , 1977 .

[5]  C. Mackey,et al.  Peruvian Settlement Pattern Studies and Small Site Methodology , 1972, American Antiquity.

[6]  C. M. Baker.  The Size Effect: An Explanation of Variability in Surface Artifact Assemblage Content , 1978, American Antiquity.

[7]  E. Jernigan,et al.  Desert Resources and Hohokam Subsistence: the Conoco Florence Project , 1976 .

[8]  S. South.  Research Strategies in Historical Archeology , 1977 .

[9]  Lewis R. Binford,et al.  A Consideration of Archaeological Research Design , 1964, American Antiquity.

[10]  Sally R. Binford,et al.  Archaeology at Hatchery West , 1970 .

[11]  Fred Plog,et al.  The study of prehistoric change , 1974 .

[12]  F. Hole,et al.  An Introduction to Prehistoric Archeology , 1969 .

[13]  Charles L. Redman,et al.  Systematic, Intensive Surface Collection , 1970, American Antiquity.

[14]  W. Lovis.  Quarter Sections and Forests: An Example of Probability Sampling in the Northeastern Woodlands , 1976, American Antiquity.

[15]  Fred T. Plog,et al.  Decision Making in Modern Surveys , 1978 .

[16]  Stanley A. South,et al.  Method and Theory in Historical Archeology , 2002 .

[17]  J. H. House,et al.  Cultural Resource Management and Archaeological Research: The Cache Project [and Comments and Reply] , 1977, Current Anthropology.

[18]  Donald L. Johnson,et al.  A Survey of Disturbance Processes in Archaeological Site Formation , 1978 .

[19]  George J. Gumerman,et al.  The distribution of prehistoric population aggregates , 1971 .

[20]  Timothy C. Klinger,et al.  The Status of Archaeological Research Design in Cultural Resource Management , 1978, American Antiquity.

[21]  T. Hester,et al.  An Assessment of Archaeological Resources in Portions of Starr County, Texas , 1975 .

[22]  D. Thomas.  The Awful Truth about Statistics in Archaeology , 1978, American Antiquity.

[23]  Michael B. Schiffer,et al.  Conservation archaeology. A guide for cultural resource management studies , 1977 .

[24]  R. Ruppé.  The Archaeological Survey: A Defense , 1966, American Antiquity.

[25]  S. Fish,et al.  Surface and Subsurface Evidence for Community Size at Coapexco, Mexico , 1975 .

[26]  J. H. House,et al.  The Cache River archeological project : an experiment in contract archeology , 1975 .

[27]  J. H. House,et al.  An Archeological Survey of the Interstate 77 Route in the South Carolina Piedmont , 1976 .

[28]  Veletta Canouts.  Archaeology: The Management of Archeological Resources: The Airlie House Report.>Charles R. McGimsey III and Hester A. Davis , 1979 .

[29]  Alan P. Sullivan,et al.  Inference and Evidence in Archaeology: A Discussion of the Conceptual Problems , 1978 .

[30]  Al Young.  Providence, Rhode Island , 1975 .

[31]  S. Plog.  Sampling in Archaeological Surveys: A Critique , 1978, American Antiquity.

[32]  James W. Mueller,et al.  THE USE OF SAMPLING IN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY , 1972 .

[33]  Robert C. Eidt.  Detection and Examination of Anthrosols by Phosphate Analysis , 1977, Science.

[34]  T. Kelly,et al.  The Fort Sam Houston Project: An Archaeological and Historical Assessment , 1978 .

[35]  E. Zubrow.  Prehistoric carrying capacity, a model , 1975 .

[36]  Valerie Talmage,et al.  The importance of small, surface, and disturbed sites as sources of significant archeological data , 1977 .

[37]  T. Hester.  An Archaeological Survey of the Radium Springs Area, Southern New Mexico , 1977 .

[38]  Jeremy A. Sabloff,et al.  The Early Mesoamerican Village , 2019 .