The study lasted two months during the summer of 1972 (19th July–14th September) and was approached by means of three techniques:

1. participant observation;

2. observation;

3. interviews.

The first consists in the researcher entering the household, establishing contact with the family, and then studying the everyday life by direct observation and participation in the activities. This technique allows freer access to the household than would normally be possible utilizing other techniques, and thus facilitates the collection of detailed data. This technique was applied to one household (referred to as the “study household”) in the village. Although data were collected on many aspects of daily life, special emphasis was placed on obtaining information about those activities which it was felt would have some relevance to archaeological problems in general.

The second approach involves general observations of the village women at work, and in particular, observations of five other village households with which other members of the project co-operated.

The third approach involved questioning the “study household” and the other five on general topics, such as the length of time taken to perform certain activities.