Archaeological Analysis in the Information Age: Guidelines for Maximizing the Reach, Comprehensiveness, and Longevity of Data

Kansa, Sarah Whitcher; Atici, Levent; Kansa, Eric; Meadow, Richard

doi:10.1017/aap.2019.36

Cited by 32 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…This study provides an example of how to engage data quality in zooarchaeology (e.g., Wolverton 2013) as well as a template for the integration of morphological and biomolecular approaches (Steele 2015)—subjects that have been a key focus of discussion in archaeozoological circles in recent years (e.g., Jones and Gabe 2015; Kansa et al 2019; LeFebvre et al 2019; Nims and Butler 2019). Our identification of the Lehi horse as an early domestic rather than an Ice Age horse suggests that prior misclassifications may have influenced museum collection practices and the interpretation of archaeological and paleontological assemblages, leading to gaps in the faunal record of Native horsemanship.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interdisciplinary Analysis of the Lehi Horse: Implications for Early Historic Horse Cultures of the North American West

Taylor

Hart

Jones³

et al. 2021

Am. Antiq.

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Although recognized as one of the most significant cultural transformations in North America, the reintroduction of the horse to the continent after AD 1492 has been rarely addressed by archaeological science. A key contributing factor behind this limited study is the apparent absence of equine skeletal remains from early historic archaeological contexts. Here, we present a multidisciplinary analysis of a horse skeleton recovered in Lehi, Utah, originally attributed to the Pleistocene. Reanalysis of stratigraphic context and radiocarbon dating indicates a historic age for this horse (cal AD 1681–1939), linking it with Ute or other Indigenous groups, whereas osteological features demonstrate its use for mounted horseback riding—perhaps with a nonframe saddle. DNA analysis indicates that the animal was a female domestic horse, which was likely cared for as part of a breeding herd despite outliving its usefulness in transport. Finally, sequentially sampled stable carbon, oxygen, and strontium isotope values from tooth enamel (δ13C, δ18O, and 87Sr/86Sr) suggest that the horse was raised locally. These results show the utility of archaeological science as applied to horse remains in understanding Indigenous horse pastoralism, whereas consideration of the broader archaeological record suggests a pattern of misidentification of horse bones from early historic contexts.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interdisciplinary Analysis of the Lehi Horse: Implications for Early Historic Horse Cultures of the North American West

Taylor

Hart

Jones³

et al. 2021

Am. Antiq.

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“…This article aims to assess open science practices in this field by reviewing data and metadata sharing, and open access, in a sample of journal articles containing primary phytolith data from 16 prominent archaeological and palaeoecological journals (341 articles). It builds on similar studies conducted for zooarchaeology (Kansa et al 2020) and macro-botanical remains (Lodwick 2019). Data in this study was collected concerning data format, reusability of data, inclusion of phytolith morphotype pictures for identification purposes and a fully described method, use of the International code for phytolith nomenclature (ICPN) and whether the articles were open access.Steps forward are then suggested to use as a starting point for discussions in the wider phytolith and archaeological communities to develop guidelines for greater integration of open science practices.…”

mentioning

confidence: 89%

Pre-print of Assessing Open Science Practices in Phytolith Research

Karoune¹

2020

Preprint

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Open science is becoming an integral part of all scientific research but the extent of these practices in phytolith research is unknown. Phytolith analysis examines silica bodies that are initially formed within and between plant cells during the life of the plant but become deposited in sediments once the plant dies. Their use in both archaeobotanical and palaeoecological studies has been ever increasing in recent years and consequently has seen an upsurge in publications. This article aims to assess open science practices in this field by reviewing data and metadata sharing, and open access, in a sample of journal articles containing primary phytolith data from 16 prominent archaeological and palaeoecological journals (341 articles). It builds on similar studies conducted for zooarchaeology (Kansa et al. 2020) and macro-botanical remains (Lodwick 2019). Data in this study was collected concerning data format, reusability of data, inclusion of phytolith morphotype pictures for identification purposes and a fully described method, use of the International code for phytolith nomenclature (ICPN) and whether the articles were open access. Steps forward are then suggested to use as a starting point for discussions in the wider phytolith and archaeological communities to develop guidelines for greater integration of open science practices.

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“…Collecting lidar datasets creates huge digital files with all the issues inherent to 3D data in archaeology (see Opitz and Herrmann 2018; Richards-Rissetto 2017; Richards-Rissetto and Schwerin 2017; Richards-Rissetto and Landau 2019), in addition to the issues of long-term storage and accessibility that files of this size entail (see Kansa et al 2014;Kansa et al 2019). Currently, there are three acceptable means of securing these datasets.…”

Section: Data Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ethics, New Colonialism, and Lidar Data: A Decade of Lidar in Maya Archaeology

Chase¹,

Chase²,

Chase³

2020

Journal of Computer Applications in Archaeology

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Introduction Lidar has had a revolutionary effect on archaeology. After a decade of use in Belize, it has transformed our understanding of ancient Maya settlement and has profoundly affected archaeological interpretations of the past. In Mesoamerica, the technology is now recognized as an important tool for identifying and interpreting past settlements. Yet, the introduction of lidar to the research repertoire has also raised a host of ethical issues that must be resolved. The introduction of broad-scale lidar to Maya archaeology over a decade ago has resulted in a paradigm shift in the field (Chase et al. 2012), leading researchers to examine models of ancient complexity reflected in more broadly sampled landscapes (e.g., Canuto et al. 2018; Chase 2017; Chase and Chase 2016a). Lidar constituted a major advance in Mesoamerican settlement studies by demonstrating the extent of ancient occupation, land use, and terraforming, as well as offering clues to settlement boundaries (e.g., D. Chase and A. Chase 2017; Chase et al. 2014a, 2014b). Lidar has permitted a much broader view of sites, landscapes, and land use by revealing new public architecture, extensive settlement, roads, and the remnants of large agricultural systems (e.g., A. Chase et al 2010, 2011; D. Chase et al. 2011; Canuto et al. 2018; Reese-Taylor et al. 2016; Ringle et al. 2017). New analyses and techniques are also permitting more sophisticated research questions to be addressed through the use of lidar, such as those regarding the control of water flow, the design of ancient space, and the identification of inequality (e.g., Chase 2016b, 2017; Chase and Weishampel 2016). And, while lidar ground-truthing has been called for by some researchers (e.g., Ford and Horn 2018), others are realizing that, rather than on-the-ground checks, what is needed is more extensive archaeological excavation to determine the dating and function of identified features (e.g., A. Chase and D. Chase 2017; Inomata et al. 2018, 2020). The ability to undertake large-scale spatial analysis with lidar has increased archaeological foci from site cores to entire regional systems (e.g., Chase et al. 2012, 2014b). As researchers have the tools to examine new questions relative to the use of ancient landscapes (e.g., Chase and Chase 2016b), older paradigms that saw the Maya as simple chiefdoms practicing slash-and-burn agriculture (e.g., Webster 1998) are being put to rest. While lidar has served as a catalyst for reframing research questions in Mesoamerican archaeology, in the Maya area, it has also raised a host of ethical questions that are not fully resolved. Some of these ethical questions may be exclusive to Mesoamerican archaeology, but others are framed by the wider use of broad scale lidar throughout other parts of the world (e.g., Evans et al. 2013; Stott et

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Archaeological Analysis in the Information Age: Guidelines for Maximizing the Reach, Comprehensiveness, and Longevity of Data

Cited by 32 publications

References 31 publications

Interdisciplinary Analysis of the Lehi Horse: Implications for Early Historic Horse Cultures of the North American West

Interdisciplinary Analysis of the Lehi Horse: Implications for Early Historic Horse Cultures of the North American West

Pre-print of Assessing Open Science Practices in Phytolith Research

Ethics, New Colonialism, and Lidar Data: A Decade of Lidar in Maya Archaeology

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