Practical and theoretical geoarchaeology / Paul Goldberg and Richard I. Macphail.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Goldberg, Paul.

Contributor:

Macphail, Richard.

George Clapp Vaillant Book Fund.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Archaeological geology.

Physical Description:

xii, 454 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (some color) ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

Malden, MA ; Oxford : Blackwell Publishing, 2006.

Summary:

Practical and Theoretical Geoarchaeology provides an invaluable overview of geoarchaeology and how it can be used effectively in the study of archaeological sites and contexts. Taking a pragmatic and functional approach, this book presents a fundamental, broad-based perspective of the essentials of modern geoarchaeology in order to demonstrate the breadth of the approaches and the depth of the problems that it can tackle.

This book reflects the rapid advances made in the discipline in recent years, but also gives the reader a firm grasp of conventional approaches. It covers traditional topics with the emphasis on landscapes, as well as anthropogenic site formation processes and their investigation. It also provides guidelines for the presentation of field and laboratory methods and the reporting of geoarchaeological results.

Practical and Theoretical Geoarchaeology is essential reading for archaeology undergraduate and graduate students, practicing archaeologists, and geoscientists who need to understand and apply geoarchaeological methodologies.

Contents:

Part I Regional scale geoarchaeology 7

Chapter 1 Sediments 11

1.2 Types of sediments 11

1.3 Conclusions: sediments versus soils 27

Chapter 2 Stratigraphy 28

2.2 Stratigraphy and stratigraphic principles 28

2.3 Facies and microfacies 38

2.4 Correlation 40

2.5 Keeping track: the Harris Matrix 40

Box 2.1 Facies and stratigraphy: The Paleoindian-Archaic site of Wilson-Leonard, Texas 33

Chapter 3 Soils 42

3.2 Soil profiles and soil properties 51

3.3 The five soil forming factors 52

3.4 Important soil forming processes 64

Box 3.1 The Five Factors of Soil Formation and Bronze Age Brean Down, United Kingdom 43

Box 3.2 Cold Climate Soils 53

Chapter 4 Hydrological systems I: slopes and slope deposits 72

4.2 Water movement on slopes 73

4.3 Erosion, movement, and deposition on slopes 76

Chapter 5 Hydrological systems II: rivers and lakes 85

5.2 Stream erosion, transport, and deposition 85

5.3 Stream deposits and channel patterns 89

5.4 Floodplains 91

5.5 Stream terraces 99

5.6 Lakes 112

Box 5.1 Upper and Middle Palaeolithic sites of Nahal Zin, Central Negev, Israel 102

Chapter 6 Aeolian settings and geoarchaeological environments 119

6.2 Sandy aeolian terrains 119

6.3 Examples of sites in dune contexts 137

6.4 Bioturbation in sandy terrains 140

6.5 Fine grained aeolian deposits 140

Box 6.1 Aeolian features in desert environments 123

Chapter 7 Coasts 151

7.2 Palaeo sea shores and palaeo coastal deposits 151

Box 7.1 Boxgrove (United Kingdom) - the marine and salt marsh sequence 152

Box 7.2 Drowned coasts of Essex and the River Severn, United Kingdom 163

Chapter 8 Caves and rockshelters 169

8.2 Formation of caves and rockshelters 169

8.3 Cave deposits and processes 174

8.4 Environmental reconstruction 186

Box 8.1 Kebara Cave, Israel 180

Part II Nontraditional geoarchaeological approaches 189

Chapter 9 Human impact on landscape: forest clearance, soil modifications, and cultivation 193

9.2 Forest clearance and soil changes (amelioration, deterioration, and disturbance) 193

9.3 Forest and woodland clearance features 199

9.4 Cultivation and manuring 202

9.5 Landscape effects 207

Box 9.1 Cultivation at Late Roman/Saxon Oakley, Suffolk, United Kingdom 204

Chapter 10 Occupation deposits I: concepts and aspects of cultural deposits 211

10.2 Concepts and aspects of occupation deposits 212

10.3 Stratigraphic sequences as material culture; concepts and uses of space 216

10.4 Time and scale 217

10.5 Settlement-landscape interrelationships 218

10.6 Origin and predepositional history of occupation deposits 219

10.7 Depositional history 221

10.8 Postdepositional modifications 221

Chapter 11 Occupation deposits II: examples from the Near East, North America, and Europe 225

11.2 Tells 225

11.3 Mounds 227

11.4 Urban archaeology of Western Europe 235

11.5 Early medieval settlement 239

11.6 Medieval floors of Northwest Europe 244

Box 11.1 Tells 227

Box 11.2 Grubenhauser 242

Chapter 12 Experimental geoarchaeology 247

12.2 Effects of burial and aging 248

12.3 Experimental "Ancient Farms" at Butser and Umea 254

Chapter 13 Human materials 268

13.2 Constructional materials 268

13.3 Metal working 283

Box 13.1 Brickearth walls 269

Box 13.2 Terra Preta and European dark earth 271

Chapter 14 Applications of geoarchaeology to forensic science 286

14.2 Soils and clandestine graves 286

14.3 Provenancing and obtaining geoarchaeological information from crime scenes 289

14.4 Other potential methods 289

14.5 Practical approaches to forensic soil sampling and potential for soil micromorphology 291

Part III Field and laboratory methods, data, and reporting 295

Chapter 15 Field-based methods 299

15.2 Regional-scale methods 299

15.3 Shallow geophysical methods (resistivity, palaeomagnetism, seismology, ground penetrating radar) 312

15.4 Coring and trenching techniques 316

15.5 Describing sections: soils and sediments in the field 321

15.6 Collecting samples 328

15.7 Sample and data correlation 333

Chapter 16 Laboratory techniques 335

16.2 Physical and chemical techniques 336

16.3 Microscopic methods and mineralogy 352

16.4 Thin section analysis 354

16.5 Minerals and heavy minerals 361

16.6 Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), EDAX, and microprobe 362

Chapter 17 Reporting and publishing 368

17.2 Management of sites and reporting 368

17.3 Fieldwork and assessment/evaluation reporting 374

17.4 Postexcavation reporting and publication 374

17.5 Site interpretation 380

Box 17.1 How to write a report - a suggested fieldwork report protocol 369

Box 17.2 Reporting - London Guildhall 370.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [404]-441) and index.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the George Clapp Vaillant Book Fund.

ISBN:

0632060441

OCLC:

60796167