Shovel-Test Sampling in Archaeological Survey: Comments on Nance and Ball, and Lightfoot

Abstract

Shovel-test sampling is the most common site-discovery technique used in vegetated areas, but its effectiveness is questionable. Recent papers in American Antiquity by Nance and Ball and by Lightfoot discuss the technique at length. The papers are welcome additions to the literature, but both contain deficiences that require comment and clarification.

Life among the tides : recent archaeology on the Georgia Bight : proceedings of the Sixth Caldwell Conference, St. Catherines Island, Georgia, May 20-22, 2011.

“…While not without controversy (see Nance, 1979;Wobst, 1983;Lightfoot, 1986Lightfoot, , 1989Nance andBall, 1986, 1989;Shott, 1989), STP surveys have proven to be a relatively economical and accurate method of tracking the distribution of cultural materials across the landscape. Because of various factors affecting discard practices, as well as taphonomic processes, care needs to be taken in suggesting that distributional data derived from STP surveys are equivalent to actual past landscape usage.…”

Beyond the buildings: Formation processes of ancient Maya houselots and methods for the study of non-architectural space

“…Many household archaeologists now realize that studies of activity areas cannot rely solely on macroartifacts (Barba and Manzanilla, 1987;Hastorf, 1999;Hastorf and Johannessen, 1991;Manzanilla and Barba, 1990;Middleton and Price, 1996;Moore and Denton, 1988;Parnell et al, 2002a,b;Pearsall, 2000;Robin, 2002;Sanchez Vizcaíno and Cañabate, 1999;Schuldenrein, 1995;Shott, 1989;Terry et al, 2004). This is particularly true of research beyond the buildings where, due to the vastness of open space, preserved macroartifacts are few and far between.…”

“…Due to its broad application, this method has generated debate about its advantages and disadvantages (Lightfoot, 1986;Nance and Ball, 1989;Shott, 1989). The two major issues regarding the success or failure of systematic subsurface sampling are intersection probability and detection probability (Krakker et al, 1983;Lightfoot, 1986;Nance and Ball, 1986).…”

Sampling Design and Inferential Bias in Archaeological Soil Chemistry

“…In other words, the selection of how to sample and how much to sample impacts the data we collect and, thus, the inferences we make about the archaeological record. This problem has been addressed to varying degrees for shovel-test sampling (Champion et al 1996;Kintigh 1988;Krakker et al 1983;Lightfoot 1986;Nance and Ball 1986;Shott 1985Shott , 1987Shott , 1989Wobst 1983) and auger sampling (Casteel 1970;Howell 1993;Price et al 1964;Reed et al 1968;Stein 1986)-approaches to sub-surface prospection that are relevant to anthrosol chemical surveys. These papers address a wide range of subjects in sampling theory regarding how to model the probability of finding archaeological sites or features but, on the whole, focus on issues of reliability and validity, both in a statistical sense.…”