Survey is time-consuming and expensive. Therefore, it needs to be both effective and efficient. Some archaeologists have argued that current survey techniques are not effective (Shott 1985, 1989), but most archaeologists continue to employ these methods and therefore must believe they are effective. If our survey techniques are effective, why do simulations suggest otherwise? If they are ineffective, can we improve them? The answers to these practical questions depend on the topological characteristics of archaeological site distributions. In this study I analyze archaeological site distributions in the Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico, using lacunarity and fractal dimension. Fractal dimension is a parameter of fractal patterns, which are complex, space-filling designs exhibiting self-similarity and power-law scaling. Lacunarity is a statistical measure that describes the texture of a spatial dispersion. It is useful in understanding how archaeological tests should be spaced during surveys. Between these two measures, I accurately describe the regional topology and suggest new considerations for archaeological survey design. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fau.edu/oai:fau.digital.flvc.org:fau_13446 |
| Contributors | Flanagan, Kelin (author), Brown, Clifford T. (Thesis advisor), Florida Atlantic University (Degree grantor), Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology |
| Publisher | Florida Atlantic University |
| Source Sets | Florida Atlantic University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation, Text |
| Format | 125 p., application/pdf |
| Rights | Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder., http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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