Centre of Geographic Sciences
Geospatial Data Analytics
Many archaeological surveys make the assumption that a single fieldwalk by a survey team is sufficient to determine whether a space does or does not contain archaeological materials. Making retrodictive statements about site distributions... more
Many archaeological surveys make the assumption that a single fieldwalk by a survey team is sufficient to determine whether a space does or does not contain archaeological materials. Making retrodictive statements about site distributions or locational preferences relies on the accuracy of this assumption. We instead take the approach that the probability of detecting artifacts by fieldwalking is less than 1.0 and use calibration surveys to calculate survey teams’ “sweep widths.” Our calibrations took place in typical fields in which we “seeded” artifacts in known locations, but otherwise simulated actual survey conditions. Sweep widths, in combination with knowledge of the total length of transects walked, then allows us to calculate survey coverage. In prehistoric surveys in Tremithos Valley, Cyprus and Wadi Quseiba, Jordan, continually updated estimates of coverage and its effect on the probability
that survey areas contained undetected sites were crucial elements in survey planning, execution and evaluation.
that survey areas contained undetected sites were crucial elements in survey planning, execution and evaluation.
To have confidence in the results of an archaeological survey, whether for heritage management or research objectives, we must have some assurance that the survey was carried out to a reasonably high standard. This paper discusses the use... more
To have confidence in the results of an archaeological survey, whether for heritage management or research objectives, we must have some assurance that the survey was carried out to a reasonably high standard. This paper discusses the use of Quality Assurance (QA) approaches and empirical methods for estimating surveys' effectiveness at discovering archaeological artifacts as a means for ensuring quality standards. We illustrate with the example of two surveys in Cyprus and Jordan in which resurvey, measurement of surveyor Bsweep widths,^ and realistic estimates of survey coverage allow us to evaluate explicitly the probability that the survey missed pottery or lithics, as well as to decide when survey has been thorough enough to warrant moving to another survey unit.
Many archaeological surveys make the assumption that a single field walk by a survey team is sufficient to determine whether a space does or does not contain archaeological materials. Making retrodictive statements about site... more
Many archaeological surveys make the assumption that a single field walk by a survey team is sufficient to determine whether a space does or does not contain archaeological materials. Making retrodictive statements about site distributions or locational preferences relies on the accuracy of this assumption. We instead take the approach that the probability of detecting artefacts by field walking is less than 1.0 and use calibration surveys to calculate the survey teams’ ‘sweep widths’. Our calibrations took place in typical fields in which we ‘seeded’ artefacts in known locations, but otherwise simulated actual survey conditions. Sweep widths, in combination with knowledge of the total length of transects walked, then allow us to calculate survey coverage. In prehistoric surveys in the Tremithos Valley, Cyprus, and Wadi Quseiba, Jordan, continually updated estimates of coverage and its effect on the probability that survey areas contained undetected sites were crucial elements in survey planning, execution, and evaluation.
This article uses directional visibility analysis to assess the defensibility of two Iron Age (9th–8th cent. BCE) sites from the Nebo region of west-central Jordan: the fortified town of Khirbat al-Mukhayyat and its adjacent watchtower at... more
This article uses directional visibility analysis to assess the defensibility of two Iron Age (9th–8th cent. BCE) sites from the Nebo region of west-central Jordan: the fortified town of Khirbat al-Mukhayyat and its adjacent watchtower at Rujm al-Mukhayyat. Directional visibility cones illustrate how the improved viewsheds afforded by the watchtower at Rujm al-Mukhayyat were needed to establish line of sight between Khirbat al-Mukhayyat and other settlements located higher up on the Transjordanian plateau. Without the addition of the watchtower, Khirbat al-Mukhayyat would have been cut off from direct communication with nearby towns at Hesban and Ma’in. Despite the increased visibility provided by the watchtower at Rujm al-Mukhayyat, Khirbat al-Mukhayyat retained limited capacity to monitor movement to the south in the vicinity of Ma’in. Further, it could not establish direct visual contact with the important urban centre at Madaba to the southeast. These findings may have implicati...