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Assessing the Utility of Plowed Field Surface Deposits in Pilot Research

2015; Cambridge University Press; Volume: 3; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.7183/2326-3768.3.1.78

2326-3768

Scott Palumbo,

Archaeology and Natural History

Abstract The paper outlines a pilot project that archaeologists may use to explore the utility of analyzing surface and subsurface archaeological deposits from cultivated field sites. Surface and subsurface assemblage data are compared from the Aguas Buenas period (cal. A.D. 300–900) site of Pitti-González in western Panama. The analyses presented here illustrate a means by which researchers can assess the validity of surface deposits and choose appropriate sampling designs. In the example considered here, the analysis of surface deposits points toward the same general interpretations as excavation data. It is argued that surface deposits retain significant utility and offer important advantages to researchers.