16th September 2013, 10:41 PM
(This post was last modified: 16th September 2013, 10:45 PM by Doug.)
Dinosaur Wrote:Eerrrr - Doug, how do you 'predict' completely new types of archaeological feature? I've got a big site going to analysis (when the cash is sorted out) where we have several major features which as far as I can tell are completely unprecedented, certainly in the published literature. Admittedly within a major Neolithic 'ritual' complex, but they only turned up during area stripping
Also, following the Neolithic theme, what happens when all the literature/'data' upon which your predictive modelling is based turns out to be b***ocks - apparently according to all the recent literature Neo pits are primarily associated with said 'ritual' complexes, whereas when you look at sites in North Yorkshire where theres been big area stripping it turns out in reality that's the one place there don't tend to be any (e.g. the Marne Barracks palisaded enclosures, and epic amounts of stripping around another big site hasn't turned up any) - they're everywhere else though...PhD anyone?
Short answer- you don't
Long answer- you don't
There is a reason PM doesn't work all the time. Actually the most fun in PM is when your model is wrong or dosen't account for certain sites. Aptly named in the PM literature as 'red flag sites' reminds me of what we were digging a few days ago David- white ware. God we need to get better at naming things. }
Anyways it is why I, and most PMers, don't recommend PM to replace anything. It is best used by consultants in the early planning stages of a project e.g. build your road here if you want to avoid it. For most commercial archaeology (in the UK) it has very little application. Developer John has already decided where he is putting his house, buiding, road, etc. so you dig.
So can anyone point to the post where I said PM was the be all to end all of everything? I feel like we keep having the same conversation in which I say always always dig dig and dig and people keep saying PM is bollocks. Which I have to say makes seem like we are missing each other.