Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

2014

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

October 2026

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Brown, Clifford T.

Abstract

Survey is time-consuming and expensive. Therefore, it needs to be both effective and efficient. Some archaeologists have argued that current survey techniques are not effective (Shott 1985, 1989), but most archaeologists continue to employ these methods and therefore must believe they are effective. If our survey techniques are effective, why do simulations suggest otherwise? If they are ineffective, can we improve them? The answers to these practical questions depend on the topological characteristics of archaeological site distributions. In this study I analyze archaeological site distributions in the Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico, using lacunarity and fractal dimension. Fractal dimension is a parameter of fractal patterns, which are complex, space-filling designs exhibiting self-similarity and power-law scaling. Lacunarity is a statistical measure that describes the texture of a spatial dispersion. It is useful in understanding how archaeological tests should be spaced during surveys. Between these two measures, I accurately describe the regional topology and suggest new considerations for archaeological survey design.

Extent

125 p.

Comments

Includes bibliography.|Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014.|FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection|Includes bibliography.

Identifier

FA00004109

Format

pdf

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