G.1 Asset Matrix

Under each asset component possible archaeological indicators are suggested for exploring elements of each asset.  This is a simple tool to act as a prompt for the researcher, but has the potential for developing into a more formal device for data collection.

Natural Assets

Climate

Use of climate research for specific areas with specific focus on geology, geomorphology, topography and rainfall/evaporation regimes (see Chapter 3)

Investigation of localized climate indicators, such as lake sediments, lithology, pollen, charcoal and other proxies for climate, inter-annual variability and seasonality in temporal and spatial variability (see Chapter 3)

Assessment of the types of geological, geomorphological and landscape features of the area

Assessment of plant and faunal remains as environmental indicators

Isotopes in bones indicative of environmental changes

Hydrology

Geomorphological and geological analysis; digital elevation models to calculate palaeodrainage systems

Topography

Field survey and satellite analysis

Light and temperature

Faunal and particularly floral regimes; Comparison with other similar types of environment with a view to understanding the potential influences on livelihoods.

Aeolian conditions

Loss of vegetation caused by human activities may increase the impact of wind erosion

Edaphic properties

Floral remains

Sealed contexts

Analysis of sediments

Vegetation

Floral remains

Hydrological conditions

Light and temperature

Animal remains (as indicators of browsing potential and annual versus perennial species).

Fauna

Faunal remains

Hydrological conditions

Vegetation suitable for fauna

Wood

Floral and faunal remains

Rocks and minerals

Sourcing of raw materials

• Foot survey of the local region
• Vehicle survey of larger regions
• There are a number of analytical methods that can source stone materials (e.g. petrographic analysis, atomic absorption spectroscopy and neutron activation analysis for flint; x-ray defraction for basalt, dolerite, gneiss, steatite and others, thermoluminescence for granite, sandstone and limestone).
• Technical pottery analysis including optical microscopy, chemical analysis, x-ray powder defraction, UV emission spectrometry, x-ray fluorescence, neutron activation analysis, photon activation analysis.
• Where aquatic shells are present, it may be possible to determine which body of water supplied them

Seasonality

Floral and faunal remains

Understanding of hydrological systems

Observation of settlement types and artefact types with a view to observing patterns of seasonal mobility

 

Physical Assets

Raw Materials

Sourcing of raw materials

• Foot survey of the local region
• Vehicle survey of larger regions
• There are a number of analytical methods that can source stone materials (e.g. petrographic analysis, atomic absorption spectroscopy and neutron activation analysis for flint; x-ray defraction for basalt, dolerite, gneiss, steatite and others, thermoluminescence for granite, sandstone and limestone).
• Technical pottery analysis including optical microscopy, chemical analysis, x-ray powder defraction, UV emission spectrometry, x-ray fluorescence, neutron activation analysis, photon activation analysis.
• Where aquatic shells are present, it may be possible to determine which body of water supplied them

Manufacturing outputs

Analysis of tool technologies in conjunction with other technologies to understand manufacturing objectives, including evidence of re-use and recycling, portability, specialization and broad spectrum subsistence practices

Analysis of material objects with a view to understanding their cultural role within society.  Where lithics are the main or sole form of evidence remaining, the main problem will be how to infer settlement patterns and social practices from the available data.

Absence or presence of pottery may be indicative of different types of activity

Labour availability and composition

Primary and secondary raw material availability and systems of resource exploitation or, in the absence of locally available resources, methods of acquisition

 Settlement location

Geology, geomorphology, topography

Hydrology and other natural resources

Tradition of site use, including settlements, rock art, ceremonial sites, cemeteries

Settlement type

Structural components and features, if present

Scale of settlement and definable areas (e.g. households) within

Distribution of objects within structures/defined zones and across a settlement area

Density of objects and waste materials

Use of tools, animal bones and craft items to determine uses of sites

Mobility and otherwise of objects

Spatial distribution of artefact concentrations

Temporal distribution of artefact concentrations

Presence of objects that might be diagnostic about site organization

All the above considered in relation to one another to derive the most information possible

Storage

Presence/absence of storage devices / systems

Contents of storage devices

Potential longevity of items stored

Potential uses of items stored

Transport

Determination of mobility and its characteristics (or otherwise)

Importance of heavy items

Availability of pack animals

Capacity of population to move heavy goods without pack animals (e.g. physical fitness)

Mobility

Indications of occupation and abandonment cycles

Indications of landscape use

Location of similarly fabricated and styled artefacts in multiple locations

Isotope analysis of human bones to suggest mobility patterns via dietary variability

Social Assets

Social organization, differentiation and status

Cemeteries / burials differentiation

Architectural complexity

Cultural complexity

Prestige items and iconographic emblems

Craft specialization

Spatial organization

Religion, ideology and spiritualism

Cemetery / burials (and character of grave goods)

Ceremonial activities including rock art

Cultural indicators including specialized forms of craft work and decoration

Specific architectural elements such as monuments and ceremonial sites

Spatial organization

Tradition, social values and social guidelines

Traditions of technology, form, style, material decoration in lithics and pottery

Expenditure of time

Funerary practices and grave-goods

Indications of religious and ceremonial activity

Internal relationships of support

Cultural traditions, religious indicators and artefacts, and iconographies

Distinctive manufacturing traditions

Spatial organization

Intra-group relationships

Cultural traditions, religious indicators and artefacts, and iconographies

Distinctive manufacturing traditions

Spatial organization

Material expression

Phenomenology

Persistent places

Cultural components

Luxury items

Mobility/sedentism

Subsistence Assets

Practice of subsistence activities

Remains of foodstuffs

Storage facilities

Bone analysis of faunal remains to detect

• Butchery patterns
• Age of animals at time of death in order to learn more about animal use
• Analysis of animal fat residues to learn more about food uses
• Seasonality of food assets

Absence or presence of pottery may be indicative of different types of food preparation and storage.  Analysis of vessels to detect plant and animal residues

Reproduction cycles of available animal resources

Analysis of lithic tool types; indications of presence or absence of silica gloss

Presence or absence of grinding equipment; residues

The potential for and indications of trade networks

Analysis of raw materials

Analysis of style in cultural objects and technology

Production potential of community

Presence of foreign materials

Presence of luxury / exotic goods

Indications of cultural connections

Labour availability

Analysis of economic activities that would have been required for any given economic strategy, in order to understand what types of labour would have been require

Analysis of burial remains to determine types of labour carried out in economic and household contexts

Analysis of tools employed in economic and household activities

Knowledge and information

Subsistence and technological skills

Risk management strategies

Maintenance of cultural traditions and manufacturing techniques

Cultural idiosyncrasies

Mobility

Types of herd animal employed

Remains of domesticated animals

Artefact composition (portable, multi-functional, curated)

Settlement size and character

Hydrological and vegetational resources

Land tenure

• Rock art analysis
• Settlement analysis at aggregation sites (e.g. water sources)

Savings / Storage

Biodiversity

Economic system

Structural remains

Stored items

Butchery practices

Evidence of harvesting in tool assemblage

Inter-Group Information Exchange

Localized techniques for manufacturing and cultural expression

Well defined manufacturing techniques employed across generations

Maintenance of traditions

Human Assets

Nutrition

Examination of the available nutrition represented by plant and animal resources in the environment and on site (including imprints within ceramics) in terms of functional values (carbohydrates, vitamins etc)

Analysis of residues in vessels

Analysis of human bones discovered in graves for signs of nutritional deficiencies

Bone isotope analysis

DNA analysis (for example to identify the -13.910*1T lactose gene)

 

Gender

Cemetery / burial data

Status indicators

Settlement analysis

 

Age mix

Cemetery / burial data

Gene pool

Bone (isotope) analysis

DNA analysis

Dental biodistance analysis

Population sizes

Cemetery data

Density of settlement / campsites

Number of households in a village

 

Personal Assets

Indications of potential for good nutrition

Absence of conflict

Social complexity

Well balanced Asset Matrix components

 

 

G.2     The Livelihood Variables

Vulnerability Context

Climatic change

Environmental conditions

Analysis of animal and human remains for signs of health problems and disease

Signs of conflict

Cultural changes

Technological changes

Opportunity

New technologies

New food production resources and methods

Blending of new and old technologies and food production techniques

New forms of cultural expression

 

External Processes

Indications of trade and exchange

Indications of aggregation for social or economic reasons

Indications of cultural similarities over a wide area

Linguistics

Human morphology; DNA analysis

Symbols of power

Signs of conflict

 

G.3     The Livelihood Outcomes

Natural Assets:  Assessment of the relationship with the natural environment and the maintenance of natural ecology whilst sustaining livelihoods; isotopic analysis of faunal and human bones for environmental change

Capital/Subsistence Assets: Changes in the ability to accumulate of capital assets (livestock, plant surplus) or acquire and wild resources; ongoing or reduced access to territory and raw materials; ability to sustain current livelihood without the need for innovation or modification

Physical Assets: Observable changes in the assets that help to support the infrastructure of a given subsistence strategy and social organization

Human Assets: Indications of ability or otherwise to maintain a healthy and informed population will be indicated by the conditions of human remains or suggested by the mixture and volume of food types chosen, as well as the strengths of links with other groups to ensure ongoing gene pool diversity.

Social Assets: Observable changes in the complex combination of ideologies, social organization and networks that define group identity and potential.

Personal Assets: Observable changes in the conditions that might provide individuals with the ability to achieve personal goals and make their own decisions, which are probably only sustainable under conditions of social and economic stability.