Virtual Dig: A Simulated Archaeological Excavation of a Middle Paleolithic Site in France
Harold L. Dibble, Shannon Patrick McPherron, Barbara J. Roth · MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) · 1999
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