TITLE:
Mapping Three-Dimensional Density Patterns for Analyzing Artefact (Re)distribution Trends in Palaeolithic Sites
AUTHORS:
Rosalia Gallotti, Giuseppe Lembo, Carlo Peretto
KEYWORDS:
Intra-Site Spatial Analyses; 3D Density Patterns; Site Formation Processes; Geographical Information System; Middle Pleistocene; Isernia La Pineta
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Anthropology,
Vol.2 No.2,
May
30,
2012
ABSTRACT: The artefact density in an archaeological deposit provides a direct record of the concentrating and dispersing effects of various formation processes. 2D density analyses have frequently been processed, especially through the topological properties of the Geographical Information System. Nevertheless, the resulting 2D visualisation by density maps does not consider or analyze the vertical interpolation of archaeological finds. This is limiting in the case of very thick archaeostratigraphic units, where the 3D visualisation of the density phenomena provides a basic tool for a better understanding of the real spatial distribution trends of archaeological remains. In this paper, we propose a new method for processing 3D density analyses, and we present its first application to the Middle Pleistocene site of Isernia La Pineta as a further step towards distinguishing the impact of natural and anthropogenic processes on site formation and stratogenesis.