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Provenance Studies

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A Consumer's Guide to Archaeological Science

Part of the book series: Manuals in Archaeological Method, Theory and Technique ((MATT))

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Abstract

Provenance studies involve the use of particular artifact traits to establish where the piece was manufactured or the source of the raw materials from which it was made. Distinct physical characteristics, such as style, shape, and decoration, may provide sufficient evidence to assign an artifact to a particular geographic location. In other cases, it may be necessary to rely on data that cannot be obtained through visual inspection to test a hypothesis or verify a conclusion.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anthropology, Brandon University, Brandon, Manitoba, Canada

    Mary E. Malainey

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  1. Mary E. Malainey
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Malainey, M.E. (2011). Provenance Studies. In: A Consumer's Guide to Archaeological Science. Manuals in Archaeological Method, Theory and Technique. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-5704-7_12

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