Site definitions in a complex archaeological landscape: An example in Ritidian, Guam
Author(s)
Carson, Mike
Dixon, Boyd
Peterson, John A.
Jalandoni, Andrea
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2014
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Ritidian in northern Guam can be represented as an archaeological site in variable ways, depending on theoretical perspectives and practical goals. Opinions differ about how to define the site’s contents and boundaries and about what makes the place significant for archaeology and other concerns. Changing perspectives can run contrary to notions of fixed sites with material properties and measured foot-prints. Nonetheless, sites need to be designated for government and resource management, and most archaeologists still use the term “site” for ease of discussion. Concepts of sites can vary in scale from single artefacts to ...
View more >Ritidian in northern Guam can be represented as an archaeological site in variable ways, depending on theoretical perspectives and practical goals. Opinions differ about how to define the site’s contents and boundaries and about what makes the place significant for archaeology and other concerns. Changing perspectives can run contrary to notions of fixed sites with material properties and measured foot-prints. Nonetheless, sites need to be designated for government and resource management, and most archaeologists still use the term “site” for ease of discussion. Concepts of sites can vary in scale from single artefacts to whole landscapes, as well as from moments in time to millennial-scale sequences. Within these geographic and temporal scales, the significant contents of a site are matters of subjective interpretation. With these factors in mind, the Ritidian area is considered in terms of how it may constitute a site or set of sites.
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View more >Ritidian in northern Guam can be represented as an archaeological site in variable ways, depending on theoretical perspectives and practical goals. Opinions differ about how to define the site’s contents and boundaries and about what makes the place significant for archaeology and other concerns. Changing perspectives can run contrary to notions of fixed sites with material properties and measured foot-prints. Nonetheless, sites need to be designated for government and resource management, and most archaeologists still use the term “site” for ease of discussion. Concepts of sites can vary in scale from single artefacts to whole landscapes, as well as from moments in time to millennial-scale sequences. Within these geographic and temporal scales, the significant contents of a site are matters of subjective interpretation. With these factors in mind, the Ritidian area is considered in terms of how it may constitute a site or set of sites.
View less >
Book Title
Guam's Hidden Gem: Archaeological and historical studies at Ritidian
Publisher URI
Subject
Archaeology of New Guinea and Pacific Islands (excl. New Zealand)