Experimental Improvements to the Volume Ratio and Quantifying Movement Using Stone Artefact Analysis

Many conceptual frameworks of archaeological assemblages have assumed that stone artefact assemblages include all products of manufacture, use, and discard, although recent studies have indicated this is not always the case. The volume ratio is a method that examines the potential for the removal or...

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Main Authors: Stacey Middleton, Rebecca Phillipps
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Ubiquity Press 2022-10-01
Series:Journal of Computer Applications in Archaeology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journal.caa-international.org/articles/93
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author Stacey Middleton
Rebecca Phillipps
author_facet Stacey Middleton
Rebecca Phillipps
author_sort Stacey Middleton
collection DOAJ
description Many conceptual frameworks of archaeological assemblages have assumed that stone artefact assemblages include all products of manufacture, use, and discard, although recent studies have indicated this is not always the case. The volume ratio is a method that examines the potential for the removal or addition of stone artefacts to an assemblage after manufacture. As humans transport material, and the movement of material effects the composition of assemblages, the alteration of an assemblage through the addition or removal of material can act as a proxy for mobility. This research uses three experimental assemblages to test the effect that different methods of volume quantification and reconstruction have on the calculation of the volume ratio. Results suggest observed assemblage volume is accurately and efficiently calculated using a standardised density of 2.46 g/cm3, while the modelled assemblage volume is relatively accurately calculated using either the Volumetric Reconstruction Method (VRM) or the Flake Volumetric Reconstruction Method (FVRM) with the potential for future research to further improve this methodology.
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spelling doaj.art-28813bf598e241dea6a624fcb0157a3c2022-12-22T02:49:18ZengUbiquity PressJournal of Computer Applications in Archaeology2514-83622022-10-015110.5334/jcaa.9371Experimental Improvements to the Volume Ratio and Quantifying Movement Using Stone Artefact AnalysisStacey Middleton0Rebecca Phillipps1University of AucklandUniversity of AucklandMany conceptual frameworks of archaeological assemblages have assumed that stone artefact assemblages include all products of manufacture, use, and discard, although recent studies have indicated this is not always the case. The volume ratio is a method that examines the potential for the removal or addition of stone artefacts to an assemblage after manufacture. As humans transport material, and the movement of material effects the composition of assemblages, the alteration of an assemblage through the addition or removal of material can act as a proxy for mobility. This research uses three experimental assemblages to test the effect that different methods of volume quantification and reconstruction have on the calculation of the volume ratio. Results suggest observed assemblage volume is accurately and efficiently calculated using a standardised density of 2.46 g/cm3, while the modelled assemblage volume is relatively accurately calculated using either the Volumetric Reconstruction Method (VRM) or the Flake Volumetric Reconstruction Method (FVRM) with the potential for future research to further improve this methodology.https://journal.caa-international.org/articles/93stone artefactsmovementvolume ratiophotogrammetryexperimental archaeology
spellingShingle Stacey Middleton
Rebecca Phillipps
Experimental Improvements to the Volume Ratio and Quantifying Movement Using Stone Artefact Analysis
Journal of Computer Applications in Archaeology
stone artefacts
movement
volume ratio
photogrammetry
experimental archaeology
title Experimental Improvements to the Volume Ratio and Quantifying Movement Using Stone Artefact Analysis
title_full Experimental Improvements to the Volume Ratio and Quantifying Movement Using Stone Artefact Analysis
title_fullStr Experimental Improvements to the Volume Ratio and Quantifying Movement Using Stone Artefact Analysis
title_full_unstemmed Experimental Improvements to the Volume Ratio and Quantifying Movement Using Stone Artefact Analysis
title_short Experimental Improvements to the Volume Ratio and Quantifying Movement Using Stone Artefact Analysis
title_sort experimental improvements to the volume ratio and quantifying movement using stone artefact analysis
topic stone artefacts
movement
volume ratio
photogrammetry
experimental archaeology
url https://journal.caa-international.org/articles/93
work_keys_str_mv AT staceymiddleton experimentalimprovementstothevolumeratioandquantifyingmovementusingstoneartefactanalysis
AT rebeccaphillipps experimentalimprovementstothevolumeratioandquantifyingmovementusingstoneartefactanalysis