Designing Experimental Research in Archaeology

"I recommend this book highly to researchers involved in or contemplating programs of experimental archaeology."
-Eric Blinman, SAS Bulletin

"A valuable resource, one I would recommend for use both by professional and avocational archaeologists interested in experimental archaeology. Additionally, the volume would be a suitable text for use in an advanced undergraduate of graduate course... An excellent starting point for anyone wishing to pursue experiments in these areas."
-Michael P. Neely, PaleoAnthropology

"This is a book by current experimenters for future experimenters. Each chapter provides a rich contextual latticework for experimentation and clear guidelines on how to do it. The book stays on target, is consistent throughout, and will ease the burden of preparation for those contemplating such activities."
-George H. Odell, Journal of Anthropological Research

Designing Experimental Research in Archaeology is a guide for the design of archaeological experiments for both students and scholars. Experimental archaeology provides a unique opportunity to corroborate conclusions with multiple trials of repeatable experiments and can provide data otherwise unavailable to archaeologists without damaging sites, remains, or artifacts.

Each chapter addresses a particular classification of material culture-ceramics, stone tools, perishable materials, composite hunting technology, butchering practices and bone tools, and experimental zooarchaeology-detailing issues that must be considered in the development of experimental archaeology projects and discussing potential pitfalls. The experiments follow coherent and consistent research designs and procedures and are placed in a theoretical context, and contributors outline methods that will serve as a guide in future experiments. This degree of standardization is uncommon in traditional archaeological research but is essential to experimental archaeology.

The field has long been in need of a guide that focuses on methodology and design. This book fills that need not only for undergraduate and graduate students but for any archaeologist looking to begin an experimental research project.

Jeffrey R. Ferguson is a research assistant professor with the Archaeometry Laboratory at the University of Missouri Research Reactor in Columbia.