Practical and Theoretical Geoarchaeology

✍ Scribed by Paul Goldberg, Richard I. Macphail(auth.)

• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
• Year: 2005
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 467
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

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.
  
• the rapid advances made in the area in recent years, but also gives the reader a firm grasp of conventional approaches.
  
• covers traditional topics with the emphasis on landscapes, as well as anthropogenic site formation processes and their investigation.
  
• provides guidelines for the presentation of field and laboratory methods and the reporting of geoarchaeological results.
  
• essential reading for archaeology undergraduate and graduate students, practicing archaeologists and geoscientists who need to understand and apply geoarchaeological methodologies.

Artwork from the book is available to instructors online at: www.blackwellpublishing.com/goldberg

“This is one of the best textbooks that I have read in years. I enjoyed reviewing it, and found it well-written and thorough in its coverage of the traditional earth science aspects of geoarchaeology. The non-traditional aspects were intriguing and equally thorough... I predict that this book will become the textbook of choice for geoarchaeology classes for several years.”

Geomorphology 101 (2008) 740–743Content:
Chapter 1 Regional Scale Geoarchaeology (pages 7–9): Paul Goldberg and Richard I. Macphail
Chapter 1 Sediments (pages 11–27): Paul Goldberg and Richard I. Macphail
Chapter 2 Stratigraphy (pages 28–41): Paul Goldberg and Richard I. Macphail
Chapter 3 Soils (pages 42–71): Paul Goldberg and Richard I. Macphail
Chapter 4 Hydrological systems I: Slopes and Slope Deposits (pages 72–84): Paul Goldberg and Richard I. Macphail
Chapter 5 Hydrological Systems II: Rivers and Lakes (pages 85–118): Paul Goldberg and Richard I. Macphail
Chapter 6 Aeolian Settings and Geoarchaeological Environments (pages 119–150): Paul Goldberg and Richard I. Macphail
Chapter 7 Coasts (pages 151–168): Paul Goldberg and Richard I. Macphail
Chapter 8 Caves and Rockshelters (pages 169–187): Paul Goldberg and Richard I. Macphail
Chapter 2 Nontraditional Geoarchaeological Approaches (pages 189–191): Paul Goldberg and Richard I. Macphail
Chapter 9 Human Impact on Landscape: Forest Clearance, Soil Modifications, and Cultivation (pages 193–210): Paul Goldberg and Richard I. Macphail
Chapter 10 Occupation Deposits I: Concepts and Aspects of Cultural Deposits (pages 211–224): Paul Goldberg and Richard I. Macphail
Chapter 11 Occupation Deposits II: Examples From the Near East, North America, and Europe (pages 225–246): Paul Goldberg and Richard I. Macphail
Chapter 12 Experimental Geoarchaeology (pages 247–267): Paul Goldberg and Richard I. Macphail
Chapter 13 Human Materials (pages 268–285): Paul Goldberg and Richard I. Macphail
Chapter 14 Applications of Geoarchaeology to Forensic Science (pages 286–293): Paul Goldberg and Richard I. Macphail
Chapter 3 Field and Laboratory Methods, Data, and Reporting (pages 295–297): Paul Goldberg and Richard I. Macphail
Chapter 15 Field?Based Methods (pages 299–334): Paul Goldberg and Richard I. Macphail
Chapter 16 Laboratory techniques (pages 335–367): Paul Goldberg and Richard I. Macphail
Chapter 17 Reporting and Publishing (pages 368–387): Paul Goldberg and Richard I. Macphail
Chapter 18 Concluding Remarks and the Geoarchaeological Future (pages 388–390): Paul Goldberg and Richard I. Macphail

✦ Table of Contents

Practical and Theoretical Geoarchaeology......Page 1
Practical and Theoretical Geoarchaeology......Page 2
Contents......Page 6
Preface......Page 10
Acknowledgments......Page 12
Introduction......Page 14
Part I: Regional scale geoarchaeology......Page 20
Introduction to Part I......Page 21
1.2 Types of sediments......Page 22
1.2.1 Descriptive and interpretative characteristics of sediments......Page 24
1.2.1.2 Chemical sediments or nonclasticsediments......Page 35
1.2.2 Organic matter and sediments......Page 37
1.3 Conclusions: sediments versus soils......Page 38
2.2 Stratigraphy and stratigraphic principles......Page 39
2.3 Facies and microfacies......Page 49
2.5 Keeping track: the Harris Matrix......Page 51
2.6 Conclusions......Page 52
3.1 Introduction......Page 53
3.1.2 Differentiating soils and sediments......Page 57
3.2 Soil profiles and soil properties......Page 62
3.3.1 Climate......Page 63
3.3.3 Organisms......Page 69
3.3.4 Relief......Page 70
3.3.5 Parent material......Page 71
3.3.6 Time......Page 73
3.3.7 The interaction of humans and the soil forming factors......Page 74
3.4.1 Weathering......Page 75
3.4.2 Leaching and clay eluviation......Page 76
3.4.3 Podzolization......Page 79
3.4.4 Calcification, salinization, and solodization......Page 80
3.4.5 Tropical and Mediterranean soils......Page 81
3.5 Conclusions......Page 82
4.1 Introduction......Page 83
4.2 Water movement on slopes......Page 84
4.3.1 Slopes......Page 87
4.3.2 Soil stability and erosion......Page 91
4.3.3 Colluvium hillwash......Page 92
4.4 Conclusions......Page 95
5.2 Stream erosion, transport, and deposition......Page 96
5.3 Stream deposits and channel patterns......Page 100
5.4 Floodplains......Page 102
5.4.1 Soils......Page 106
5.5.2 Archaeological sites in terrace contexts......Page 110
5.5.2.2......Page 121
5.6.2 Characteristics of lakes......Page 123
5.6.3 Geoarchaeological examples......Page 125
5.7 Conclusions......Page 128
6.2 Sandy aeolian terrains......Page 130
6.2.1 Aeolian erosion......Page 132
6.2.2 Sand-size aeolian deposits......Page 140
6.2.2.2 Dune forms......Page 141
6.3 Examples of sites in dune contexts......Page 148
6.5 Fine grained aeolian deposits......Page 151
6.6 Conclusions......Page 160
7.2 Palaeo sea shores and palaeo coastal deposits......Page 162
7.2.3.1 The high energy cliff/beach zone:sediments and sedimentary structures......Page 166
7.2.3.2 Coastal dunes......Page 168
7.2.3.2.1 Postdepositional changes and soilformation in coastal dune sands......Page 170
7.2.3.3 Low energy estuarine mudflatand lagoonal environments......Page 171
7.2.3.3.2 Postdepositional changes to intertidalsediments......Page 172
7.2.3.4.1 Nature of deposits......Page 173
7.2.3.6 Middens......Page 177
7.3 Conclusions......Page 179
8.2 Formation of caves and rockshelters......Page 180
8.3 Cave deposits and processes......Page 185
8.3.1 Autochthonous deposits......Page 186
8.3.3 Geochemical activity......Page 188
8.3.4 Biogenic deposits......Page 190
8.3.5 Anthropogenic occupation......Page 196
8.4 Environmental reconstruction......Page 197
8.5 Conclusions......Page 198
Part II: Nontraditional geoarchaeological approaches......Page 199
Introduction to Part II......Page 200
9.2 Forest clearance and soil changes amelioration, deterioration, and disturbance......Page 201
9.3 Forest and woodland clearance features......Page 207
9.4 Cultivation and manuring......Page 210
9.5 Landscape effects......Page 215
9.6 Conclusions......Page 218
10.1 Introduction......Page 219
10.2 Concepts and aspects of occupation deposits......Page 220
10.3 Stratigraphic sequences as material culture; concepts and uses of space......Page 224
10.4 Time and scale......Page 225
10.5 Settlement?landscape interrelationships......Page 226
10.6 Origin and predepositional history of occupation deposits......Page 227
10.8 Postdepositional modifications......Page 229
10.9 Conclusions......Page 232
11.2.1 Introduction......Page 233
11.2.2.1 Architectural materials......Page 234
11.3 Mounds......Page 235
11.3.1 Case studies......Page 239
11.4.1 Introduction......Page 243
11.4.2 Some issues in settlement and urban archaeology......Page 244
11.4.3 Sediment formation......Page 246
11.5 Early medieval settlement......Page 247
11.5.1 Grubenhäuser......Page 248
11.5.2 Microstratigraphic analysis of grubenhäuser......Page 249
11.6 Medieval floors of northwest Europe......Page 252
11.6.1 Floor deposits formed in stables and byres......Page 253
11.7 Conclusions......Page 254
12.1 Introduction......Page 255
12.2 Effects of burial and aging......Page 256
12.3.1 Butser Ancient Farm......Page 262
12.3.1.1 Experimental floors at Butser......Page 266
12.3.2 Umeå Ancient Farm......Page 270
12.4 Conclusions......Page 275
13.2.1 Limeand gypsum- based building materials......Page 276
13.2.2 Mortar......Page 278
13.2.3 Plaster......Page 284
13.2.4 Earth-based constructional materials......Page 287
13.2.4.3 Worked and transformed earth-based building materials adobe, daub, and mud brick......Page 290
13.3 Metal working......Page 291
13.4 Conclusions......Page 293
14.2 Soils and clandestine graves......Page 294
14.4 Other potential methods......Page 297
14.5 Practical approaches to forensic soil sampling and potential for soil micromorphology......Page 299
Acknowledgments......Page 301
Part III: Field and laboratory methods, data, and reporting......Page 302
Introduction to Part III......Page 303
15.2.1 Satellite imagery and aerialphotos......Page 304
15.2.2 Satellite images......Page 305
15.2.3 Aerial photographs......Page 307
15.2.3.1 Air photos in archaeology......Page 310
15.2.5 Geological maps......Page 312
15.2.6 Soil survey maps and soil mapping......Page 314
15.3 Shallow geophysical methods resistivity, palaeomagnetism, seismology, ground penetrating radar......Page 317
15.3.1 Magnetometry......Page 318
15.4 Coring and trenching techniques......Page 321
15.5 Describing sections: soils and sediments in the field......Page 326
15.6 Collecting samples......Page 333
15.7 Sample and data correlation......Page 338
15.8 Conclusions......Page 339
16.1.1 General overview and considerations......Page 340
16.2.1 Grain size analysis......Page 341
16.2.2 Soil characterization......Page 344
16.2.3 Phosphate analysis......Page 349
16.2.4 Magnetic susceptibility......Page 355
16.3.1 Binocular and other macro-methods......Page 357
16.3.2.1 Protocols in soil micromorphology......Page 358
16.4 Thin section analysis......Page 359
16.4.1 Fluorescence microscopy......Page 363
16.4.2 Image analysis of thin sections......Page 364
16.5 Minerals and heavy minerals......Page 366
16.6 Scanning Electron Microscope SEM, EDAX, and microprobe......Page 367
16.7 Conclusions......Page 372
17.2 Management of sites and reporting......Page 373
17.4 Postexcavation reporting and publication......Page 379
17.4.1 Statistical support......Page 380
17.4.2 Geographical information system......Page 383
17.4.3 Archiving......Page 384
17.5.2.1 Data gathering......Page 385
17.5.2.2 Case study: Arene Candide, Liguria, Italy......Page 388
17.6 Conclusions......Page 392
18 Concluding remarks and the geoarchaeological future......Page 393
16A.4......Page 396
16A.5......Page 397
17A.2......Page 400
Bibliography......Page 409
Index......Page 447
Sites and Place Names......Page 457
Archaeological, Geological and Chronological Periods and Cultures
......Page 459
Supplemental Images
......Page 460