Virtual Dig: A Simulated Archaeological

This combination of workbook and CD-ROM functions as a "virtual field school" that gives students the opportunity to carry out an excavation using real data. Based on excavations at the Middle Paleolithic site of Combe-Capelle in France, the exercises included in Virtual Dig ask students to access the CD's database to analyze and interpret findings.

Preface

iii

PART I INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

Overview of Virtual Dig

1

(6)

Installing the Virtual Dig Software

2

(1)

How to Use the Virtual Dig Software

3

(3)

Background

4

(1)

Setup

4

(1)

Excavation

5

(1)

Lithics Lab

5

(1)

Analysis

5

(1)

A Word about the Data Used in Virtual Dig

6

(1)

Background to the Middle Paleolithic

7

(9)

The Middle Paleolithic

7

(1)

Dating and Environment

7

(3)

Neandertals

10

(1)

Mousterian Stone Tools

10

(3)

Life in the Middle Paleolithic

13

(2)

Suggested Readings

15

(1)

Combe-Capelle

16

(5)

Suggested Readings

20

(1)

PART II SETUP

Research Design

21

(6)

What Is Research Design?

21

(1)

Formulating a Research Design

22

(1)

Background Research

22

(1)

Permits or Permission to Excavate a Site

22

(1)

Writing a Research Design

23

(1)

Research Design at Combe-Capelle

23

(1)

Suggested Readings

24

(3)

Defining Research Questions for Your Virtual Project

25

(2)

Unit Definition and Placement

27

(10)

Site Grid

27

(1)

Excavation Units

28

(2)

Test Pits

28

(1)

Trenches

29

(1)

Squares

30

(1)

Features

30

(1)

Unit Placement

30

(2)

Research Goals

31

(1)

Sampling Strategy

31

(1)

Site Topography

31

(1)

Site Vegetation

32

(1)

Deposit Depth

32

(1)

Unit Definition and Placement at Combe-Capelle

32

(1)

Overview of the Unit Definition Screen

33

(1)

Suggested Readings

33

(4)

Learning the Unit Definition Screen

35

(1)

Virtual Project

35

(2)

Excavation Methods and Artifact Recovery

37

(4)

Excavation Methods

37

(1)

Excavation Tools

37

(4)

Learning the Methods Screen

39

(1)

Virtual Project

40

(1)

Mapping and Proveniencing

41

(10)

Datums

41

(1)

Methods for Recording Provenience

42

(2)

Manual Proveniencing

42

(1)

Instrument Maps

43

(1)

Recording Provenience during Excavation

44

(1)

Point Proveniencing

44

(1)

Bulk Proveniencing

44

(1)

Screening

45

(1)

Artifact Recovery and Proveniencing at Combe-Capelle

46

(2)

Suggested Readings

48

(3)

Virtual Project

49

(2)

Personnel

51

(6)

Field and Lab Crew

51

(1)

Specialists

52

(1)

Budget Considerations in Planning Personnel

53

(1)

Personnel at Combe-Capelle

54

(3)

Virtual Project

55

(2)

Living Expenses, Equipment, and Supplies

57

(6)

Living Expenses

57

(2)

Where to Live?

57

(1)

Where to Eat?

58

(1)

Vehicles

58

(1)

Personal Effects

59

(1)

Equipment and Supplies

59

(1)

Living Expenses, Equipment, and Supplies at Combe-Capelle

60

(3)

Living Expenses

61

(1)

Virtual Project

61

(1)

Equipment and Supplies

61

(2)

Developing a Field Budget

63

(4)

Virtual Project

65

(1)

Optional Exercise for Setting Up Your Virtual Project

65

(2)

PART III EXCAVATION

Overview of Excavation

67

(7)

The Day-to-Day Routine during an Excavation

67

(2)

Stratigraphy

69

(2)

Excavation Strategies for Recording Strata

71

(1)

Excavation at Combe-Capelle

72

(1)

Suggested Readings

73

(1)

Excavation in Virtual Dig

74

(7)

Equipping Your Virtual Project

74

(1)

Using the Interactive Excavation Screen

74

(2)

Using the Automatic Excavation Screen

76

(5)

Interactive Excavation

77

(2)

Automatic Excavation

79

(2)

Field Documentation and Mapping

81

(14)

Field Documentation

81

(1)

Databases

82

(1)

Archiving and Curating Field Records

83

(1)

Field Documentation at Combe-Capelle

84

(1)

Mapping

85

(1)

Screening

86

(1)

Suggested Readings

86

(9)

Site Notebook

87

(2)

Mapping

89

(2)

Proveniencing

91

(1)

Screening

92

(1)

Excavation of Your Virtual Project

93

(2)

PART IV LITHICS LAB

Flintknapping: The Making of Stone Tools

95

(6)

Terminology and Flake Landmarks

96

(1)

Flaking Techniques

96

(1)

Lithic Analysis

97

(1)

Suggested Readings

97

(4)

Flintknapping Primer

99

(2)

Basics of Lithic Analysis I: Lithic Measurements

101

(4)

Suggested Readings

102

(3)

Lithic Measurements

103

(2)

Basics of Lithic Analysis II: Lithic Attributes

105

(6)

Common Lithic Attributes

105

(1)

Other Lithic Attributes in the Combe-Capelle Data

106

(1)

Analyzing Lithic Attributes

107

(4)

Lithic Attributes

109

(2)

Basics of Lithic Analysis III: Lithic Typology

111

(10)

The Typology of Francois Bordes

111

(4)

Scrapers

112

(1)

Notches and Denticulates

112

(1)

Technologically Defined Types

113

(1)

Bifaces

113

(2)

Bordian Graphs and Indices

115

(2)

Typology at Combe-Capelle

117

(4)

Learning Bordian Typology

119

(1)

Learning Bordian Type Lists and Cumulative Graphs

119

(2)

PART V ANALYSIS

Overview of Archaeological Analysis

121

(4)

Day-to-Day Practices in a Lab

121

(2)

Analysis at Combe-Capelle

123

(2)

Analyzing Lithic Data with Virtual Dig

125

(8)

Statistics, Tables, and Graphs

125

(2)

Analyzing Type Counts and Typological Indices

127

(6)

Character Variables

129

(1)

Numeric Variables

130

(1)

Virtual Project

131

(2)

Evaluating Taphonomy and Site Formation

133

(8)

Damage

133

(2)

Size Distributions

135

(1)

Artifact Orientations

136

(1)

Site Taphonomy at Combe-Capelle

136

(1)

Suggested Readings

137

(4)

Site Taphonomy

139

(2)

Writing a Site Report

141

(2)

References

143

(2)

Index

145

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The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

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Virtual Dig: A Simulated Archaeological Excavation of a Middle Paleolithic Site in France

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials