Virtual Dig: A Simulated Archaeological Excavation of a Middle Paleolithic Site in France, with Student CD-ROM (Win-PC only)

by Dibble, Harold L.; McPherron, Shannon; Roth, Barbara

• ISBN13: 9780072824766
• ISBN10: 007282476X
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Package
• Copyright: 2002-06-26
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education

Summary

This combination of workbook and CD-ROM (Win PC only) 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 inVirtual Digask students to access the CD's database to analyze and interpret findings.

Table of Contents

PART I INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

1 Overview of Virtual Dig

Installing and Running the Virtual Dig Software

A Word about the Data Used in the Virtual Dig

2 Background to the Middle Paleolithic

The Middle Paleolithic

Dating and Environment

Neandertals

Mousterian Stone Tools

Life in the Middle Paleolithic

Suggested Reading

3 Combe-Capelle

Suggested Reading

PART II SETUP

4 Research Design

What Is a Research Design?

Formulating a Research Design

Writing a Research Design

Research Design at Combe-Capelle

Suggested Readings

Exercise: Defining Your Research Questions for Your

Virtual Project

5 Unit Definition and Placement

Site Grid

Excavation Units

Unit Placement

Unit Definition and Placement at Combe-Capelle

Overview of the Unit Definition Screen

Suggested Readings

Exercise: Learning the Unit Definition Screen

Exercise: Virtual Project

6 Excavation Methods and Artifact Recovery

Excavation Methods

Excavation Tools

Exercise: Learning the Methods Screen

Exercise: Virtual Project

7 Mapping and Proveniencing

Datums

Methods for Recording Provenience

Recording Provenience during Excavation

Screening

Artifact Recovery and Proveniencing at Combe-Capelle

Suggested Readings

Exercise: Virtual Project

8 Personnel

Field and Lab Crew

Specialists

Budget Considerations in Planning Personnel

Personnel at Combe-Capelle

Exercise: Virtual Project

9 Living Expenses, Equipment, and Supplies

Living Conditions

Equipment and Supplies

Handling Logistics at Combe-Capelle

Exercise: Living Expenses

Exercise: Virtual Project

10 Developing a Field Budget

Exercise: Virtual Project

Final Exercise for Setting Up Your Virtual Project

PART III EXCAVATION

11 Overview of Excavation

The Day-to-Day Routine during an Excavation

Stratigraphy

Excavation Strategies for Recording Strata

Excavation at Combe-Capelle

Suggested Readings

12 Excavation in Virtual Dig

Equipping Your Virtual Project

Using the Interactive Excavation Screen

Exercise: Automatic Excavation

Exercise:Automatic Excavation

Exercise: Interactive Excavation

13 Field Documentation and Mapping

Field Documentation

Databases

Archiving and Curating Field Records

Field Documentation at Combe-Capelle

Exercise: Site Notebook

Exercise: Mapping

Exercise: Excavation of Your Virtual Project

PART IV LITHICS LAB

14 Flintknapping:The Making of Stone Tools

Terminology and Flake Landmarks

Flaking Techniques

Lithic Analysis

Suggested Readings

Exercise 14.1: Flintknapping Primer

15 Basics of Lithic Analysis I: Lithic Measurements

Suggested Readings

Exercise: Lithic Measurements

16 Basics of Lithic Analysis II: Lithic Attributes

Common Lithic Attributes

Other Lithic Attributes in the Combe-Capelle Data

Analyzing Lithic Attributes

Exercise:Lithic Attributes

17 Basics of Lithic Analysis III: Lithic Typology

The Typology of Francois Bordes

Bordian Graphs and Indices

Typology at Combe-Capelle

Exercise: Learning the Bordian Typology

Exercise: Learning the Bordian Type Lists and Cumulative Graphs

Exercise: Making Scrapers

PART V ANALYSIS

18 Overview of Archaeological Analysis

Day-to-Day Practices in a Lab

Analysis at Combe-Capelle

19 Analyzing Lithic Data with Virtual Dig

Statistics, Tables, and Graphs

Analyzing Type Counts and Typological Indices

Exercise: Character Variables

Exercise: Numeric Data

20 Evaluating Taphonomy and Site Formation

Damage

Size Distributions

Artifact Orientation

Exercises: Site Taphonomy

Suggested Reading

21 Writing a Site Report