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Fieldworker Experience and Single-Episode Screening as Sources of Data Recovery Bias in Archaeology: A Case Study from the Central Pacific Northwest Coast

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Anthony P. Graesch
Anthony P. Graesch*
Affiliation:
Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA, and Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (anthony.p.graesch@ucla.edu)
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Abstract

Despite increasing concern with the effects of archaeological data recovery methods on the types and quantity of objects extracted from the material record, archaeologists rarely discuss recovery biases attributable to the most basic excavation procedures. In this study I examine how several factors, including variable artifact identification skills, can affect artifact recovery rates in the field. Data from household-level investigations at the Stó:lō (Coast Salish) village of Welqámex (DiRi 15) are presented to show how interobserver variation can compromise interpretations of past behavior when opportunities for artifact recovery are limited to observations at the excavation unit and single-episode (field-only) sieving. Laboratory sorting of screen residue retained in 3.2-mm (one-eighth-inch) mesh sieves is shown to account for the recovery of as much as 87.5 percent of lithic artifacts and nearly 90 percent of archaeofaunal remains. Rates of artifact recovery in the field are highly variable among excavation crews working at Welqámex, and I argue that the application of correction factors is inappropriate unless the magnitude of recovery bias can be measured for specific excavation teams and particular depositional contexts. The results of this study further highlight the importance of documenting and mitigating the unintended effects of methodological decisions on archaeological assemblages.

Résumé

Résumé

A despecho del aumento en la preocupación con los efectos de la recuperación de datos con métodos arqueológicos en los tipos y cantidad de objetos extractados de la anotación material, arqueólogos rara vez discuten los sesgos en recuperación atribuidos a los procedimientos más básicos de excavación. En éste estudio examino cómo varios factores, incluyendo variación en las habilidades para identificar artefactos, pueden afectar la razón de artefactos recuperados en el campo. Datos de investigaciones al raso doméstico en la aldea Stó:lō (Coast Salish) de Welqámex (DiRi 15) son destacados para mostrar cómo variación en habilidad puede comprometer interpretaciones de un comportamiento pasado cuando la oportunidad para recuperar artefactos es limitada a observaciones en la unidad de excavación y un solo (campo únicamente) acontecimiento de harnero. En el laboratorio, separación de residuo retenido en cedazos de 3.2-mm (un octavo de pulgada) cuenta por la recuperación de hasta 87.5 por ciento de artefactos líticos y casi el 90 por ciento de restos de fauna arqueológicas. La razón de artefactos recuperados en el campo se ha presentado altamente variable entre equipos excavadores, y así arguyo que la aplicación de factores rectificadores es inadecuada menos que el impacto del sesgo en recuperación sea específicamente medida para equipos excavadores y los contextos particulares que producen depósitos. Los resultados de este estudio marcan adicionalmente la importancia de documentar y aminorar los efectos inadvertidamente causadas por las decisiones metodológicas en colecciones arqueológicas.

Type
Reports
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 74 , Issue 4 , October 2009 , pp. 759 - 779
Copyright
Copyright © Society for American Archaeology 2009

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