Spatial Analysis: Multiple Procedures in Pattern Recognition Studies

Abstract

The analysis of the spatial distributions of artifacts on archaeological floors has potential for the recognition and interpretation of cultural patterns represented by prehistoric remains. This study emphasizes the use of multiple procedures for the separate problems of pattern detection, estimation, and prediction. Aggregative and segregative definitions are proposed for three artifact class associational modes. Definitions are also proposed for general and special pattern prediction problems. An application to the Mousterian site of Rosh Ein Mor in Israel, shows that multiple procedures can be extremely advantageous in the interpretation of general complex patterns.

Métodos de excavación: del trabajo de campo a la interpretación arqueológica

“…En algunos casos, se aplicaron distribuciones basadas en la densidad de objetos, es decir, en el número de objetos documentados por retícula de recogida de la información (Hietala et al, 1977;Carbonell et al, 1980;Hietala, 1984).…”

Refining the definition of cultural levels at Karabi Tamchin: a quantitative approach to vertical intra-site spatial analysis

“…Kroll and Price (1991: T97) (Villa 1982:278 (Whallon 1973) and Nearest Neighbour Analysis (Whallon 1974) (Blankholm 1991: 41 (Whallon 1973;Speth and Johnson 1976;Hietala and Stevens 1977;Pinder et al 1979 (Kintigh and Ammerman 1982: 61). Subsequent improvements in the application and utility of methods have also resulted in a variety of methods available for spatial analysis within archaeology depending on the requirements of the researcher (see Hodder and Orton 7976,1982;Carr 1984;Kintigh 1990;and Wandsnider 1996 for a full discussion).…”

Spatial analysis on a dugong consumption site at Princess Charlotte Bay, North Queensland

“…Bivariate analysis. Multiple distributions are most easily handled in pairwise manner and there exist a number of tests of association and/or segregation for bivariate distributions (Dacey 1973, Hodder and Orton 1976, Hietala and Stevens 1977, Orton 1982, Hodder and O'Kell 1978, Johnson 1984b, Whallon 1974. These techniques have the obvious limitation that they still fail to shed much light on the overall composite form taken by the multiple distribution of item types.…”