Microarchaeology

Microarchaeology is about that part of archaeological records not seen by the naked eye, but revealed with instrumentation.

The archaeological record is a combination of what is seen by eye, and what is revealed with the help of instrumentation. Microarchaeology seeks to understand the microscopic record in terms of the types of embedded information, the material and conditions under which a reliable signal can be extracted.The archaeological record is a combination of what is seen by eye, as well as the microscopic record revealed with the help of instrumentation. The information embedded in the microscopic record can significantly add to our understanding of past human behaviour, provided this information has not been altered by the passage of time. Microarchaeology seeks to understand the microscopic record in terms of the type of information embedded in this record, the materials in which this information resides, and the conditions under which a reliable signal can be extracted. This book highlights the concepts needed to extract information from the microscopic record. Intended for all archaeologists and archaeological scientists, it will be of particular interest to students who have some background in the natural sciences as well as archaeology.