Abstract
Soil multi-element analysis is now a routine technique employed to help answer questions about space use and function in and around archaeological sites. The pattern of enhancement of certain elements, including P, Pb, Ca, Zn, and Cu, has been shown by numerous studies to correlate closely with the archaeological and historical record. Interpretation of these soil signatures, however, has generally been more problematic. One approach to the problem has been the use of ethnographic or "known" sites to guide interpretation, but how confidently can results from one site be extrapolated to another? This study of abandoned farms tests the site specificity of soil multi-element signatures of past space use through the use of discriminant models. Data analysis suggests that one to one comparisons of similar sites are much less accurate (38% accuracy) than comparisons based on a wider range of sites (59.3% accuracy), even when the latter have contrasting geology. The results highlight the importance of individual anthropogenic practices during occupation and abandonment in the development of diagnostic soil geochemical signatures. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 2327-2334 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Journal of archaeological science |
| Volume | 36 |
| Issue number | 10 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Oct 2009 |
Keywords
- Multi-element soil analysis
- Discriminant analysis
- Post-medieval townships
- Functional areas
- Rural settlement
- ICP-AES ANALYSIS
- CHEMICAL-CHARACTERIZATION
- ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOILS
- MANURING PRACTICES
- ABANDONED FARMS
- ANCIENT
- GUATEMALA
- FLOORS
- METAL
- UK