Quantitative Analysis in Archaeology introduces the application of quantitative methods in archaeology. It outlines conceptual and statistical principles, illustrates their application, and provides problem sets for practice. Discusses both methodological frameworks and quantitative methods of archaeological analysis Presents statistical material in a clear and straightforward manner ideal for students and professionals in the field Includes illustrative problem sets and practice exercises in each chapter that reinforce practical application of quantitative analysis

The first step-by-step guide to the quantitative analysis of archaeological data using the R statistical computing system.

It is little secret that most archaeologists are uneasy with statistics. Thankfully, in the modern world, quantitative analysis has been made immensely easier by statistical software packages. Software now does virtually all our statistical calculations, removing a great burden for researchers. At the same time, since most statistical analysis now takes place through the pushing of buttons in software packages, new problems and dangers have emerged. How does one know which statistical test to use? How can one tell if certain data violate the assumptions of a particular statistical analysis? Rather than focusing on the mathematics of calculation, this concise handbook selects appropriate forms of analysis and explains the assumptions that underlie them. It deals with fundamental issues, such as what kinds of data are common in the field of archaeology and what are the goals of various forms of analysis. This accessible textbook lends a refreshing playfulness to an often-humorless subject and will be enjoyed by students and professionals alike.

Papers presented at the 50th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology held in Denver in 1985.

This book introduces archaeologists to the most important quantitative methods, from the initial description of archaeological data to techniques of multivariate analysis. These are presented in the context of familiar problems in archaeological practice, an approach designed to illustrate their relevance and to overcome the fear of mathematics from which archaeologists often suffer.

A study illustrating the use of computer applications and quantitative methods in archaeology.

This book is intended as an introduction to basic statistical principles and techniques for the archaeologist. It grows primarily from my experience in teaching courses in quantitative analysis for undergraduate and graduate stu dents in archaeology over a number of years. The book is set specifically in the context of archaeology, not because the issues dealt with are uniquely archaeological in nature, but because many people find it much easier to understand quantitative analysis in a familiar context-one in which they can readily understand the nature of the data and the utility of the tech niques. The principles and techniques, however, are all of much broader applicability. Physical anthropologists, cultural anthropologists, sociologists, psychologists, political scientists, and speCialists in other fields make use of these same principles and techniques. The particular mix of topics, the rela tive emphasis given them, and the exact approach taken here, however, do reflect my own view of what is most useful in the analysis of specifically archaeological data. It is impossible to fail to notice that many aspects of archaeological information are numerical and that archaeological analysis has an unavoid ably quantitative component. Standard statistical approaches are commonly applied in straightforward as well as unusual and ingenious ways to archae ological problems, and new approaches have been invented to cope with the speCial qUirks of archaeological analysis. The literature on quantitative analy sis in archaeology has grown to prodigious size in the past 25 or 30 years.

Res. en inglés y francés.