Theme:
2. Archaeological Sciences, Humanities and the Digital era: Bridging the Gaps
Session format:
Regular session
Title:
Exploring Dates-as-Data Approaches: Theoretical Promises and Methodological Problems
Content:
The exponential growth in available radiocarbon data and accessible methodology have caused a veritable boom in research which use dates-as-data approaches. Such approaches hinge on the fundamental line of assumptions that the number of radiocarbon dates in a period is proportional to or indicative of the intensity of human activity or population. The most common method of summarizing these radiocarbon dates is through model tested summed probability distributions (SPDs). However there are several limitations inherent to large radiocarbon datasets, such as region- and period specific research focus and taphonomy, as well as methodological issues such as difficulties separating patterns caused by human activity and those caused by the shape of the calibration curve. To address these limitations, researchers have made efforts to enhance the quality of databases by employing chronometric hygiene, binning dates within specific archaeological sites, and to develop more advanced methods, including composite kernel density estimates (KDE) and non-parametric calibration and summation.
Nevertheless, questions persist regarding the way dates-as-data results can be interpreted. Are they able to reflect population dynamics or do they merely mirror availability and research focus? Can we reliably compare different time periods with each other or contrast different regions? What are the scales, both chronologically and geographically, that can offers useful results? Our aim is to look at the nature of radiocarbon dates as a proxy, and to explore complimentary methods from archaeology and other disciplines (palaeoecology, geoarchaeology, climate studies, etc.) that could mitigate flaws in dates-as-data approaches.
This session invites papers that go beyond utilizing the principle of dates-as-data and explore the nature of assumptions, explore strategies for identifying and mitigating biases in datasets and the methods employed, incorporate various and complementary proxies, address different temporal and geographical scales, or theorize how results can and cannot be interpreted.
Keywords:
Summed Probability Distributions, Dates-as-Data, paleo-demography, Interdisciplinary perspectives
Session associated with MERC:
no
Session associated with CIfA:
no
Session associated with SAfA:
no
Session associated with CAA:
no
Session associated with DGUF:
no
Session associated with other:
Main organiser:
Elliot Van Maldegem (Belgium) 1
Co-organisers:
Pir Hoebe (Netherlands) 2
Tim Heaton (United Kingdom) 3
Affiliations:
1. Ghent University
2. University of Groningen
3. University of Leeds
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