Geoarchaeology : the earth-science approach to archaeological interpretation /
George (Rip) Rapp, Jr. and Christopher L. Hill.
- New Haven : Yale University Press, 1998.
- xiii, 274 pages : illustrations, maps ; 26 cm
Includes bibliographical references (pages 241-254) and index.
THEORETICAL AND HISTORICAL OVERVIEW: The domain of geoarchaeology -- A history of the interaction between Earth sciences and archaeology -- SEDIMENTS AND SOILS AND THE CREATION OF THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORD: Sediments -- Classification of sedimentation products -- Soils and buried soils -- Inferring environments from physical and chemical parameters -- CONTEXTS OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORD FORMATION: Stages of site formation -- Initial landscapes and original occupation -- Sedimentary settings -- Postdepositional processes -- PALEOENVIRONMENTAL RECONSTRUCTIONS: HUMANS, CLIMATES, AND ANCIENT LANDSCAPES: Lake Records and Geoecology -- Inferring environmental change -- Ecology and landscape change -- Plant remains as clues to environmental and climatic change -- Animal remains as clues to environmental conditions -- Other ecological accumulations -- Isotopes and chemical ratios as environmental indicators -- Environmental change and archaeological interpretation -- Microclimates -- RAW MATERIALS AND RESOURCES: Minerals -- Metals and ores -- Rocks -- Shells -- Clays -- Building materials -- Other materials -- Rock and mineral recovery -- Water -- PROVENANCE STUDIES: Geologic deposits -- Materials used in geologic sourcing -- Methods used in geologic sourcing -- ESTIMATING AGE IN THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORD: Stratigraphy -- Dating techniques based on animal and plant remains -- Dating techniques based on chemical accumulation -- Temperature-affected dating -- Radiometric dating -- Radiation dating -- Dating exposed surfaces -- GEOLOGIC MAPPING, REMOTE SENSING, AND SURVEYING: Geologic maps and mapping -- Remote sensing -- Core drilling -- Geochemical prospecting and analysis -- geographic information systems -- The complexitites of scale -- CONSTRUCTION, DESTRUCTION, SITE PRESERVATION, AND CONSERVATION: Ancient geotechnology -- Construction -- Excavation -- Natural burial of sites -- Destruction -- Site preservation -- Conservation -- The future.
This textbook offers an integrated approach to geoarchaeology (the direct use of geologic concepts, methods and knowledge to solve archaeological problems and interpret archaeological records).