The due dates for each assignment appear clearly here and on the syllabus, so there should be no uncertainty about when you need to hand in these assignments.  If you are trying to anticipate which assignments will require more time you should know that Exercises 1 and 2 are easier than Exercises 3 and 5.   Also note that Exercises 1-3 give you practice in thinking and working like an archaeologist and will help you produce your final Fugawiland research report (Exercise #4).
 

Using the example on p.94-98 please complete and turn in the three contour maps of the survey findings for topography, artifact density, and phosphate concentrations.  This will require making photocopies of the blank maps to work with since you will destroy the book by ripping the pages out.  I recommend that you make more than one copy of each map so that you can practice without worrying about making mistakes.

Next, write up your responses to the discussion questions on p.97 and p.98.  Your first discussion (p.97) will be a summary of the findings including what they suggest about the area in terms of archaeological productivity.  What is it about these findings that would warrant excavation?  Your second discussion (p.98) will be an explanation of where you would like to excavate and why.  Do not turn in handwritten answers.  Instead, type them up on a computer, print them out, and attach them to your maps.  Your written answers should not exceed two double-spaced pages.
 
 

There are two parts to this assignment.

The first concerns stratigraphy.  Using the example provided on p.99-100 fill in and identify the correct sequence for the stratigraphic layers (again you should make a photocopy of the page to work on and turn in).  In one typewritten page explain the general stratigraphic pattern for Fugawiland.  You should identify which layers are cultural and which are natural, and why some layers might be thicker at some sites than at others.

The second part concerns radiocarbon dating.  The stratigraphic profiles on p.100 show that three radiocarbon samples were taken from these deposits.  You now need to interpret and incorporate these data with the stratigraphic data to complete your understanding of the regional chronology.  Please follow the guidelines provided on p.101-102 to determine calibrated radiocarbon dates for the samples.  Write one page responding to the discussion questions on p.101-102.  This means you need to summarizes the findings and explain whether the archaeological sites discovered date from the same or different time-periods.  What does your outcome mean for understanding Fugawiland culture?  Again, type up and print out your answer (you do not need to photocopy the chart on p.101; instead, you can simple copy the information about the three sample into your typewritten answer).

In this homework assignment you are being asked to identify and understand patterns in the excavated data.  You might find that this is the most difficult of the Fugawiland assignments, so be sure to leave yourself plenty of time.  For this assignment you will turn in four analyses of artifact patterns and a set of charts that presents graphically some of the information from your Fugawiland research.  Before beginning this exercise be sure that you have excavated your ten sites in Fugawiland so that you have sufficient data to explore and compare.

The Four Analyses:
(1) Association and/or Correlation.  The first analysis involves examining the sites for positive and negative associations and correlations (these terms are defined in the book).  Following the directions on p.102-105 identify 5 pairs of site characteristics (using artifacts, ecofacts, or features) that show positive or negative association or positive correlation.  Then write no more than one page that summarizes the findings and develops a hypothesis that predicts other data patterns you could then test.  You do not need to test the hypothesis for this part of the assignment, instead you need to explain how the data you analyzed leads to the hypothesis you developed.

Next, repeat this process three more times by identifying and examining patterns of:

(2) Counts and Averages  (number of artifacts/ecofacts/features at each kind of site).
Discussed on pages 105-106.

(3) Densities  (number of artifacts/ecofacts/features divided by site size).
Discussed on page 107.

(4) Percentages  (number of a particular artifact/ecofact/feature type from one site divided by the total number for all the excavated sites).
Discussed on page 108-109.

At the end of your analyses you should have four typewritten pages (one for each analysis) that lay out your hypotheses about Fugawiland that could be tested based on the patterns identified.  Please print out each discussion on its own sheet of paper, label each sheet clearly, and attach to your printouts of the various tables.

A Set of Charts:
You will need to work simultaneously with your workbook and the Fugawiland program to complete this part of the assignment.  Follow the directions in your workbook to create the two histograms (also known as bar charts) and the plots (also known as scatter plots) that appear on p.110-111.  Once again, this will require making photocopies of these pages to work with since you will destroy the book by ripping the pages out (think about making more than one copy of each page so that you can practice without worrying about making mistakes).  Alternatively, if you feel your are fluent enough in the Fugawiland software, you can also attempt to print out these charts from within the program or even from some other spreadsheet software (like Microsoft Excel).

Next, use the 'Histogram and Plot' functions on the 'Analysis' menu in the computer program to look at different site characteristics in an effort to identify meaningful patterns among the artifacts/ecofacts/features that you have excavated.  Keep manipulating and tweaking the data until you think you have found something new and informative (Hint: try testing the hypotheses that you generated through the analyses in the first part of this assignment).  Print up at least two of your new charts (histograms or plots) and hand in with this assignment.

Finally, write a summary of all the charts you've generated (four from the workbook and at least two of your own).  First describe the relationships and then explain what forces might be determining these relationships.  Your typewritten discussions of the charts should not exceed two double-spaced pages.
 

Follow the directions on p.113 in your workbook and in the guidelines provided above to prepare your Final Report.  While you can use the list of questions on p.113 as a guide in your report, do not simply respond to each question and hand in your answers.  Ultimately, this is an essay that summarizes exactly what you did in your Fugawiland research project, why you did, what you recovered in terms of archaeological remains, and what your interpretations are of ancient Fugawiland.  Before you begin writing your final Fugawiland research report be sure to re-read and review:

  1. the work your submitted in Exercises 1-4
  2. p.52-58 in Price and Gebauer (from Chapter 3)
  3. p.59-62 in Price and Gebauer (Introduction to Part 3)
  4. the ten questions from the 'Questions' menu in the computer program

The final report should be five typewritten pages in length (no less than four, no more than six).  It is imperative that you attach to this report illustrations that support and clarify your points (maps, tables, charts, etc.).  These illustrations are appended to your report, meaning they do not count towards your five-page requirement.  Finally, if it looks like you need more guidance on preparing this assignment we can discuss it in more detail in class.