Journal Article

Additional statistical and graphical methods for analyzing site formation processes using artifact orientations

McPherron, Shannon P.

2018

Overview

The 3D orientation of clasts within a deposit are known to be informative on processes that formed that deposit. In archaeological sites, a portion of the clasts in the deposit are introduced by non-geological processes, and these are typically systematically recorded in archaeological excavations with total stations. By recording a second point on elongated clasts it is possible to quickly and precisely capture their orientation. The statistical and graphical techniques for analyzing these data are well published, and there is a growing set of actualistic and archaeological comparative data to help with the interpretation of the documented patterns. This paper advances this area of research in presenting methods to address some shortcomings in current methodologies. First, a method for calculating confidence intervals on orientation statistics is presented to help address the question of how many objects are needed to assess the formation of a deposit based on orientations. Second, a method for assessing the probability that two assemblages have different orientations is presented based on permutations testing. This method differs from existing ones in that it considers three-dimensional orientations rather than working separately with the two-dimensional bearing and plunge components. Third, a method is presented to examine spatial variability in orientations based on a moving windows approach. The raw data plus the R code to build this document and to implement these methods plus those already described by McPherron are included to help further their use in assessing archaeological site formation processes.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Archaeological sites / Biology and Life Sciences / Building codes / Confidence intervals / Data processing / Datasets / Earth Sciences / Elongation / Excavations (Archaeology) / Geoarchaeology / Geological processes / Geological research / Graphic methods / Graphical methods / Historic sites / Internet / Methods / Orientation / Permutations / Physical Sciences / Research and Analysis Methods / Sedimentary rocks / Social Sciences / Spatial distribution / Spatial variability / Statistical analysis / Statistical methods / Statistics / Test procedures