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.


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