Folks- Just to present an alternative voice regarding ceramic formula dates (or similar methods applied to other sorts of datable materials) - I, for one, have found such dates useful in analyzing depositional and site formation processes, particularly of urban features such as wells and privies, whose stratigraphy is entirely or largely "artificial." I also find artifact function analysis (AKA South pattern analysis or what prehistorians sometimes call the "debris profile") of use as well. See the article that Jeanne and I have in the recent "privies issue" of HA for details and qualifiers on these broad generalizations. Cheers, John John P. McCarthy, RPA Annapolis, MD ------Original Message------ From: [log in to unmask] To: [log in to unmask] Sent: March 1, 2001 2:20:08 PM GMT Subject: Re: dates; was: 2nd Hand Ceramics, was Privies At 06:35 AM 3/1/01, you wrote: >I've always felt that mean ceramic dates were one of the more perversely >silly methods of quantification to have grown out of the New >Archaeology. Surely it only tells you what combining a decent knowledge >of stratigraphy and ceramic manufacture dates would let you know anyway? amen to that. ______________________________________________ FREE Personalized Email at Mail.com Sign up at http://www.mail.com/?sr=signup