Chapter 3 Flashcards
Why do archaeologists “survey”?
Because no single site reveals everything about an ancient society.
What is the main principle of survey? Why does this matter?
The main principle of survey is to generate a representative sample of landscape; sometimes a survey is randomized to ensure that every site has an equal chance of being included in the sample.
This matters because if we only look in the “logical” places, we will almost certainly bias the sample and our reconstruction of the past.
What limits the surface survey? What are the basic remote sensing techniques and their benefits?
Survey can only find what lies on the ground; remote sensing helps us understand what lies below the ground.
The proton magnetometer detects magnetic anomalies in the ground, such as pieces of metal and burned sediments.
Soil resistivity measures how readily an electric current passes through sediment, detecting areas of looser or more compact materials based on differences in water content.
Ground-penetrating radar detects features, especially architecture, using radar waves. Remote sensing can help preserve sites by targeting excavations.
What is “landscape archaeology”?
Landscape archaeology is similar to settlement pattern archaeology because of its interest in the regional record of human behavior, but it focuses on human modification of the environment.
