Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-q99xh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T03:58:31.908Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Site Surface Characteristics and Functional Inferences

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Sarah H. Schlanger  and
Janet D. Orcutt
Sarah H. Schlanger
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, Washington State University, Pullman WA 99164
Janet D. Orcutt
Affiliation:
Directorate of Engineering and Housing, Environmental Management Office, Fort Hood, TX 76544
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

With the rise in importance of the archaeological survey as a major data-recovery tool has come greater concern over methods for making inferences about site subsurface characteristics from surface materials. One growing area of concern is the identification of site function using surface features and artifact assemblages. Here we examine the relations among architectural site types (defined using surface features), modeled functional site types, and surface artifact assemblage characteristics. Analysis proceeded in three stages, each one built on the previous stage. In the first stage we used site type models to predict surface assemblage differences between types and then tested these predictions with the surface assemblages from surveyed sites grouped by architecture type. The procedures involved analysis of variance, difference-of-means tests, and discriminant analysis. In the second stage, we used discriminant analysis to create a classification function for predicting site type on the basis of artifact assemblages. In the third stage of the analysis, we investigated possible reasons for the uneven classification results. We conclude our analyses by presenting an example of functional change that affects the ability of the discriminant analysis to distinguish between two of the site types.

Type
Research Article
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 51 , Issue 2 , April 1986 , pp. 296 - 312
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for American Archaeology 1986

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

References Cited

Ammerman, A. J., and Feldman, M. W. 1978 Replicated Collection of Site Surfaces. American Antiquity 43: 734–740.Google Scholar
Baker, Charles M. 1978 The Size Effect: An Explanation of Variability in Surface Artifact Assemblage Content. American Antiquity 43: 288–293.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bandelier, A. F. 1884 Reports by A. F. Bandelier on His Investigations in New Mexico During the Years 1883-1884. Fifth Annual Report of the Executive Committee, pp. 55–98. Archaeological Institute of America.Google Scholar
Binford, Lewis R. 1979 Organization and Formation Processes: Looking at Curated Technologies. Journal of Anthropological Research 35: 255–273.Google Scholar
Binford, L. R., Binford, S. R., Whallon, R., and Hardin, M. A. 1970 Archaeology at Hatchery West. Memoirs of the Society for American Archaeology No. 24. Washington, D. C. Google Scholar
Blalock, Hubert M. Jr., 1972 Social Statistics. 2nd ed. McGraw-Hill, New York.Google Scholar
Blinman, Eric, Dean Wilson, C., Waterworth, Robert M. R., Errickson, and Linda P. Hart, Mary P. 1984 Additive Technologies Group Laboratory Manual. Dolores Archaeological Program Technical Reports DAP-149. Final report submitted to the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado Region, Salt Lake City, in compliance with Contract No. 8-07-40-S0562.Google Scholar
Dean, Jeffrey S., and Lindsay, Alexander J. Jr., 1978 Special Use Sites in Long House Valley, Northeastern Arizona: An Analysis of the Southwestern Anthropological Research Group Data File. In Limited Activity and Occupation Sites, edited by E. Ward, Albert, pp. 109–117. Contributions to Anthropological Studies No. 1. Center for Anthropological Studies, Albuquerque, New Mexico.Google Scholar
Dean, Jeffrey S., Lindsay, Alexander J. Jr., , and Robinson, William J. 1978 Prehistoric Settlement in Long House Valley, Northeastern Arizona. In Investigations of the Southwestern Anthropological Research Group, edited by C. Euler, Robert and Gumerman, George J., pp. 53–71. Museum of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff.Google Scholar
Ellis, Florence H. 1978 Small Structures Used by Historic Pueblo Peoples and Their Immediate Ancestors. In Limited Activity and Occupation Sites, edited by E. Ward, Albert, pp. 59–68. Contributions to Anthropological Studies No. 1. Center for Anthropological Studies, Albuquerque, New Mexico.Google Scholar
Euler, Robert C, and Chandler, Susan M. 1978 Aspects of Prehistoric Settlement Patterns in Grand Canyon. In Investigations of the Southwestern Anthropological Research Group, edited by C. Euler, Robert and Gumerman, George J., pp. 73–85. Museum of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff.Google Scholar
Flannery, Kent V. 1976 Sampling by Intensive Surface Collection. In The Early Mesoamerican Village, edited by V. Flannery, Kent, pp. 51–62. Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
Gifford, D. P. 1978 Ethnoarchaeological Observations of Natural Processes Affecting Cultural Materials. In Explorations in Ethnoarchaeology, edited by Gould, R. A., pp. 77–101. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque.Google Scholar
Gregory, Herbert E. 1938 The San Juan Country. A Geographic and Geologic Reconnaissance of Southeastern Utah. United States Geological Survey Professional Paper 188.Google Scholar
Hanson, J. A., and Schiffer, M. B. 1975 The Joint Site—A Preliminary Report. In Chapters in the Prehistory of Eastern Arizona, IV. Fieldiana: Anthropology 6 5: 47–91.Google Scholar
Hofman, Jack L. 1982 Exploring Intrasite Patterning and Assemblage Variation on Historic Sheepherder Camps. North American Archaeologist 3: 89–111.Google Scholar
House, John H., and Schiffer, Michael B. 1975 Significance of the Archeological Resources of the Cache River Basin. In The Cache River Archaeological Project: An Experiment in Contract Archeology, assembled by Michael, B. Schiffer and John, H. House, pp. 163–186. Research Series No. 8. Arkansas Archeological Survey, Fayetteville.Google Scholar
Jermann, Jerry V. 1981 Surface Collection and Analysis of Spatial Pattern: An Archaeological Example from the Lower Columbia River Valley. In Plowzone Archeology: Contributions to Theory and Technique, edited by J. O', Michael Brien and Dennis, E. Lewarch, pp. 71–118. Publications in Anthropology No. 27. Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.Google Scholar
Kane, Allen E. 1983 Introduction to Field Investigations and Analysis. In Dolores Archaeological Program Field Investigations and Analysis—1978, by Dolores Archaeological Program, pp. 1–37. Bureau of Reclamation Engineering and Research Center, Denver, Colorado.Google Scholar
Kane, Allen E. 1984 Architectural Patterns at Anasazi Settlements: Implications for Energy Investment and Resource Use. Paper Presented at the 49th Annual Meeeting, Society for American Archaeology, Portland.Google Scholar
Kane, Allen E., Lipe, William D., Knudson, Ruthann, Kohler, Timothy A., James, Steven A., Hogan, Patrick, and Sebastian, Lynne 1983 The Dolores Archaeological Program Research Design. In Dolores Archaeological Program: Field Investigations and Analysis—1978, by Dolores Archaeological Program, pp. 39–59. Bureau of Reclamation Engineering and Research Center, Denver, Colorado.Google Scholar
Kane, Allen E., Orcutt, Janet D., and Kohler, Timothy A. 1982 Dolores Archaeological Program Approaches to Paleodemographic Reconstruction. Paper presented at the 47th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, Minneapolis.Google Scholar
Kidder, Alfred V., and Guernsey, Samuel J. 1919 Archaeological Explorations in Northeastern Arizona. Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 65. Washington, D. C. Google Scholar
Kintigh, Keith W. 1984 Measuring Archaeological Diversity by Comparison with Simulated Assemblages. American Antiquity 49: 44–54.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kirkby, A., and Kirkby, M. J. 1976 Geomorphic Processes and the Surface Survey of Archaeological Sites in Semi-Arid Areas. In Geoarchaeology, edited by Davidson, D. A. and Schackley, M. L., pp. 229–253. Westview Press, Boulder, Colorado.Google Scholar
Klecka, William R. 1980 Discriminant Analysis. Sage University Paper Series Quantitative Applications in the Social Sciences, Series No. 07-019. Sage Publications, Beverly Hills and London.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kohler, Timothy A., and Schlanger, Sarah H. 1980 Surface Estimation of Site Structure and Content, Dolores Project. Contract Abstracts and CRM Archeology 1(2): 29–32.Google Scholar
Lewarch, D. E., and O' Brien, M. J. 1981a Effect of Short Term Tillage on Aggregate Provenience Surface Pattern. In Plowzone Archeology: Contributions to Theory and Technique, edited by J. O', Michael Brien and Dennis, E. Lewarch, pp. 7–49. Publications in Anthropology No. 27. Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.Google Scholar
Lewarch, D. E., and O' Brien, M. J. 1981b The Expanding Role of Surface Assemblages in Archaeological Research. In Advances in Archaeological Method and Theory, vol. 4, edited by B. Schiffer, Michael, pp. 297–342. Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
Lipe, William D. 1983 Revised General Model— Dolores Area Sociocultural Stability and Change. In Modeling Prehistoric Sociocultural Change in the Dolores Valley, Southwestern Colorado, Phase III, Results of the Dolores Archaeological Program Modeling Seminar, compiled by Lipe, W. D., Kane, A. E., and Robinson, C. K., part III, pp. 1–55. Submitted to the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado Region, Salt Lake City, in compliance with Contract No. 8-07-40-S0562.Google Scholar
Lipe, William D., and Breternitz, Cory D. 1980 Approaches to Analyzing Variability Among Dolores Area Structures, A. D. 600-950. Contract Abstracts and CRM Archeology 1: 21–28.Google Scholar
McAllister, Shirley Powell, and Plog, Fred 1978 Small Sites in the Chevelon Drainage. In Limited Activity and Occupation Sites, edited by A. Ward, Albert, pp. 17–23. Contributions to Anthropological Studies No. 1. Center for Anthropological Studies, Albuquerque, New Mexico.Google Scholar
Nance, C. Roger, and C. Hurst, David 1981 Statistical Approaches to Shallow Site Archeology: Analysis of the O' Neal Site, Jefferson County, Alabama. In Plowzone Archeology: Contributions to Theory and Technique, edited by J. O', Michael Brien and Dennis, E. Lewarch, pp. 159–186. Publications in Anthropology No. 27. Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.Google Scholar
Nie, Norman H., Hadlai Hull, C., Jenkins, Jean G., Steinbrenner, Karin, and Bent, Dale H. 1975 Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. 2nd ed. McGraw-Hill, New York.Google Scholar
Odum, Eugene P. 1971 Fundamentals of Ecology. 3rd ed. W. B. Saunders, Philadelphia.Google Scholar
Orcutt, Janet D. 1983 Settlement Behavior. In Modeling Prehistoric Sociocultural Change in the Dolores Valley, Southwestern Colorado, Phase III, Results of the Dolores Archaeological Program Modeling Seminar, compiled by Lipe, W. D., Kane, A. E., and Robinson, C. K., part IV, pp. 1–13. Submitted to the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado Region, Salt Lake City, in compliance with Contract No. 8-07-40-S0562.Google Scholar
Phagan, Carl J., and Hruby, T. Homer 1984 Reductive Technologies Group Laboratory Manual. Dolores Archaeological Program Technical Reports DAP-150. Final Report Submitted to U. S. Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado Region, Salt Lake City, in Compliance with Contract No. 8-07-40-S0562.Google Scholar
Phagan, Carl J., Orcutt, Janet D., Homer Hruby, T., and Schlanger, Sarah H. 1982 Status Summary of Site Type Modeling Study. Ms. on file, Dolores Archaeological Program, Dolores, Colorado.Google Scholar
Pilles, Peter J. Jr., , and Wilcox, David R. 1978 The Small Sites Conference: An Introduction. In Limited Activity and Occupation Sites, edited by E. Ward, Albert, pp. 1–5. Contributions to Anthropological Studies No. 1. Center for Anthropological Studies, Albuquerque, New Mexico.Google Scholar
Plog, Fred 1978 An Analysis of Variability in Site Locations in the Chevelon Drainage, Arizona. In Investigations of the Southwestern Anthropological Research Group, edited by C. Euler, Robert and Gumerman, George J., pp. 53–71. Museum of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff.Google Scholar
Plog, Fred, and Hill, James N. 1971 Explaining Variability in the Distribution of Sites. In The Distribution of Prehistoric Population Aggregates, edited by J. Gumerman, George, pp. 7–36. Prescott College Anthropological Reports No. 1. Prescott College Press, Prescott, Arizona.Google Scholar
Powell, Shirley, and Klesert, Anthony L. 1980 Predicting the Presence of Structures on Small Sites. Current Anthropology 21: 367–369.Google Scholar
Prudden, T. Mitchell 1903 The Prehistoric Ruins of the San Juan Watershed in Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. American Anthropologist 5(1): 224–288.Google Scholar
Prudden, T. Mitchell 1918 A Further Study of Prehistoric Small House Ruins in the San Juan Watershed. Memoirs of the American Anthropological Association 5: 3–50.Google Scholar
Redman, Charles L., and Watson, Patty Jo 1970 Systematic, Intensive Surface Collection. American Antiquity 35: 282–291.Google Scholar
Rick, J. W. 1976 Downslope Movement and Archaeological Intrasite Spatial Analysis. American Antiquity 41: 133–144.Google Scholar
Russell, Scott D. 1978 The Agricultural Field House: A Navajo Limited Occupation and Special Use Site. In Limited Activity and Occupation Sites, edited by E. Ward, Albert, pp. 35–40. Contributions to Anthropological Studies No. 1. Center for Anthropological Studies, Albuquerque, New Mexico.Google Scholar
Schlanger, Sarah H. 1985 Prehistoric Population Dynamics in the Dolores Area, Southwestern Colorado. Unpublished Ph. D. dissertation, Department of Anthropology, Washington State University, Pullman.Google Scholar
Schlanger, Sarah H., and Kohler, Timothy A. 1984 Estimating Site Population from Surface Evidence: A Progress Report. In Dolores Archaeological Program: Synthetic Report 1978-1981, by Dolores Archaeological Program, pp. 84–88. Bureau of Reclamation Engineering and Research Center, Denver.Google Scholar
Stevenson, Marc G. 1982 Toward an Understanding of Site Abandonment Behavior: Evidence from Historic Mining Camps in the Southwest Yukon. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 1: 237–265.Google Scholar
Stevenson, Marc G. 1985 The Formation of Artifact Assemblages at Workshop/Habitation Sites: Models from Peace Point. American Antiquity 50: 63–81.Google Scholar
Synenki, A. T. 1977 Explaining the Relationship Between Surface and Subsurface Remains: A Multivariate Approach. Unpublished Master's thesis, Department of Anthropology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.Google Scholar
Tolstoy, P., and Fish, S. K. 1975 Surface and Subsurface Evidence for Community Size at Coapexco, Mexico. Journal of Field Archaeology 2: 91-\QA. Google Scholar
Ward, Albert E. (editor) 1978 Limited Activity and Occupation Sites. Contributions to Anthropological Studies No. 1. Center for Anthropological Studies, Albuquerque, New Mexico.Google Scholar
Wood, John J. 1978 Optimal Location in Settlement Space: A Model for Describing Location Strategies. American Antiquity 43: 258–270.Google Scholar