Statistical Inference of Prehistoric Demography from Frequency Distributions of Radiocarbon Dates: A Review and a Guide for the Perplexed
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Authors
Publication Date
2022Journal Title
Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory
ISSN
1072-5369
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Type
Article
This Version
AM
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Crema, E. (2022). Statistical Inference of Prehistoric Demography from Frequency Distributions of Radiocarbon Dates: A Review and a Guide for the Perplexed. Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory https://doi.org/10.1007/s10816-022-09559-5
Abstract
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>The last decade saw a rapid increase in the number of studies where time–frequency changes of radiocarbon dates have been used as a proxy for inferring past population dynamics. Although its universal and straightforward premise is appealing and undoubtedly offers some unique opportunities for research on long-term comparative demography, practical applications are far from trivial and riddled with issues pertaining to the very nature of the proxy under examination. Here I review the most common criticisms concerning the nature of radiocarbon time–frequency data as a demographic proxy, focusing on key statistical and inferential challenges. I then examine and compare recent methodological advances in the field by grouping them into three approaches: reconstructive, null-hypothesis significance testing, and model fitting. I will then conclude with some general recommendations for applying these techniques in archaeological and paleo-demographic research.</jats:p>
Sponsorship
Leverhulme Trust (PLP-2019-304)
Embargo Lift Date
2023-04-21
Identifiers
External DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10816-022-09559-5
This record's URL: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/336232
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