Explain the importance of sampling in archaeological excavation and artifact analysis.
Questions often asked of archaeologists are, “How do you find a site?” or “How do you know where to dig?” Archaeologists use a variety of methods to find and test sites. Three basic strategies are often used, Systematic Sampling, Random Sampling, and Judgmental Sampling.
When archaeologists are working in areas which have not been previously explored, they must decide how best to determine if the area contains an artefact’s or sites. Usually, time and resources do not allow for the total excavation of a site, so archaeologists must develop a cost-effective strategy to allow for the maximum coverage. Sometimes there is evidence on the surface, such as in a plowed field or an arid environment with little vegetation or soil development. Surface finds often provide important clues regarding the presence of buried assemblages or features. Other times, especially in the wooded environments of eastern North America, there is no surface evidence.
One of the most important tasks an archaeologist faces is discovering sites in the landscape. Unless a site is clearly visible, it is necessary to use various methods of subsurface testing, from simple test pits dug by hand to technologically advanced methods of remote sensing such as ground penetrating radar and magnetic surveying. However, because it is generally unfeasible to test an entire survey area, the archaeologist must decide on the sampling strategy that best suits his or her purposes.
The Essay on Sampling Techinique
It also means the laws of probability and statistics apply, allowing us to make certain inferences. FIVE MAIN TECHNIQUES THAT CAN BE USED TO SELECT A PROBABILITY SAMPLE 1. SIMPLE RANDOM SAMPLING Simple random sampling (sometimes called just random sampling) involves you selecting the sample at random from the sampling frame. In this approach, all elements are given equal chance of being included ...
Sampling strategies can be classified as either non-probabilistic or probabilistic. Non-probabilistic sampling is used when the archaeologist is most interested in already visible or suspected sites and does not need to sample elsewhere. Probabilistic sampling is used when it is necessary to have a representative sample of the sites in a region (the “sample universe”), but it is possible to sample only a small percentage of the whole. By employing statistical methods, probabilistic sampling attempts to increase the probability that generalizations derived from the sample will be correct.
Survey, and can be influenced by variables including: the nature of the environment, the types of sites, and the budget and timeframe of the project. For example, a different project with a larger budget could sample 20% of the units (200 squares) instead of approximately 5% (48 squares).
Exposed archaeological sites are coded yellow to illustrate how many have been found with each strategy.
Non-probabilistic sampling
“This type of sampling would be useful to an archaeologist interested in known sites. Their placement may be recorded in documentary sources, part of local knowledge, or they may simply be visible in the landscape. For example, here the historic wagon trail is clearly visible on the aerial photo.
In this case, the areas excavated are only those around the two historic sites which were already known to the archaeologist. The six prehistoric sites have not been discovered.”
Simple random sampling
“This strategy is the simplest form of probabilistic sampling. Sampling units are selected on a completely random basis. The greatest drawback to this strategy is that, depending on the dispersion of the randomly selected numbers, large parts of the region may be left out of the sampling completely. For example, note the concentration of units towards the bottom of the aerial photo and the relatively sparse areas in the centre.
In this case, the sampling uncovered five of the eight sites: the historic wagon trail, the Paleo-Indian quarry, an archaic burial site and settlement, and the historic homestead. However, note that if different random numbers had been used to determine sampling units, there could have been an entirely different result.”
The Dissertation on Sampling Probability
Probability And Non Probability Sampling Cultural Studies Essay A probability sampling method is any method of sampling that utilizes some form of random selection. In order to have a random selection method, you must set up some process or procedure that assures that the different units in your population have equal probabilities of being chosen. Humans have long practiced various forms of random ...
Stratified random sampling
“Also a form of probabilistic sampling stratified random sampling attempts to minimize variability within different zones (or “strata”) in the sample universe. The sample universe is divided into large natural zones and each is designated the amount of sample units proportional to its area. The position of units within each area is determined by random sampling.”
“In this case, the sample universe can easily be divided into a sloping riverbank zone (above the dotted blue line) and a flatter prairie zone (below the dotted blue line).
As the riverbank zone makes up approximately 2/5ths of the sample universe, it is allocated 2/5ths of the sample units. The sampling uncovered four of the eight sites: the historic wagon trail, the Paleo-Indian quarry, and an archaic burial site and settlement.”
Systematic sampling
“In this probabilistic strategy, sample units are evenly distributed throughout the sample universe. The areas of low sample concentration that can be a problem in random sampling are avoided in systematic sampling. However, in an unusual situation in which the sites are regularly spaced in a pattern approximating the layout of the sample units but slightly offset from it, it is possible to miss every site.
In this case, the sampling uncovered four of the eight sites: the historic wagon trail, an archaic burial site and settlement, and the historic homestead.”
“Stratified systematic or systematic unaligned sampling
This probabilistic strategy combines the characteristics of simple random sampling and systematic sampling into a single strategy that limits their drawbacks. The sample universe is divided into smaller, regularly-spaced regions, and then a sample unit is chosen randomly from each of these regions. The sample units are evenly dispersed, but not so regularly positioned as to miss equivalently positioned but offset sites.”
The Research paper on Random Sampling Method
Samples and Sampling The term “sampling,” as used in research, refers to the process of selecting the individuals who will participate (e.g., be observed or questioned) in a research study. A sample is any part of a population of individuals on whom information is obtained. It may, for a variety of reasons, be different from the sample originally selected. Samples and Populations The ...
Of the many types of sampling strategies discussed here, all are useful in certain situations, but none is perfect. For example, a significant danger of using only probabilistic sampling techniques in field survey is that a major site may be overlooked, resulting in a skewed analysis of the archaeology of the sample universe. The solution to this problem is that a good field survey will also consider features that are outside the sample area. Even so, it is unlikely that unless the archaeologist is very lucky he or she will discover all the sites in the sample universe. So even though it’s important to have sample it can also work against you. But without it a lot of discovery wouldn’t have been made so it’s only fair to say it play a most important part in archaeology and there would be no archaeology without sample well no proper sense of it, in locating and taking data.
