Archaeological prospect and practical technique in an environmental region

The Western Isles Machairs

Datos Bibliográficos

ID3919006
AutoresIain Crawford (Christ University, autor de correspondencia)
Año1978
Volumen10
Número1
Páginas51-62
Fecha de publicación1978-06-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaWorld Archaeology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0043-8243 • E-ISSN: 1470-1375
EditorialInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00438243.1978.9979715
OpenAlexW2017064049
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas3
Referencias citadas11

The theme is the Western Isles (Outer Hebrides) in prehistory and history ‐ research considerations past, present and future. The settlement characteristics are singled out for a region ‐defined in ecological terms ‐ the machair. Geomorphological conditioning of human occupation is hypercritical but the indications are of high human occupation potential. Despite strong superficial evidence that this potential was being developed at certain periods, excavation to date has failed to amplify this, locate sites or identify criteria for the remaining periods. This is probably due to lack of regional specialization, of location analysis, and of the specific field techniques required. Research here, as elsewhere, requires interpretation based on substantial bodies of reliable material viewed with much more than cursory interdisciplinary understanding. Collective, long‐term, regional, multiperiod projects are much more productive of the reliable practical data that archaeological theory needs than random emergency activities lacking expertise

Archaeology · Biology · Excavation · Geography · Human settlement · Interpretation (philosophy · Prehistory · Settlement (finance · Theme (computing · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Ecology · Historical Studies of British Isles · History · Maritime and Coastal Archaeology