Methodische Fragen bei der zeitlichen Klassifizierung und räumlichen Fixierung von Fundstellen im Rahmen von Besiedlungsstudien. Ein Fallbeispiel von der östlichen Schwäbischen Alb

Abstract

In this article some methodological questions are discussed which arise when dealing with the chronological Classification and spatial fixation of archaeological sites in the scope of diachronic settlement analyses. The answers given to these questions can be of great influence on the results of the investigation. The problems are exemplified by a case study set in the river valley of Brenz and
Kocher in the eastern Swabian Alb. The settlement history of this valley from neolithic times until the Latene period is investigated in the author's doctoral thesis. Considering the chronological Classification of Sites, a concept of four hierarchical levels is proposed which ränge from epoch down to phase. With regard to the spatial fixation of sites, the problems of demarcation (how can sites be spatially defined and separated from each other?), resolution (how detailed can the internal structure of a site be reproduced in a map?), cartographical
representation as point or polygon objects (in how far the spatial extent of sites can be taken into account?) and precision of localization (how precise must the localization of sites be in order to use them in spatial analyses?) are discussed.