Site content, structure, and function are examined using information drawn from historic sites, ethnographic observation, and modern material-culture studies in an effort to understand more about the relationship of past cultural systems to their material by-products. The elements of site content, such as artifacts, architecture, features, and strata, are examined in terms of their temporal and spatial dimensions in relation to site function.

The importance of identification of use, form, function, condition, and size in relation to spatial pattern and associations is emphasized. Given the ability to control or identify site function, those of us working on historic sites can begin to recognize the site structure correlates of site function and thereby take our place alongside experimental archaeology and ethnoarchaeology in the development of general archaeological theory.

The theory of Holocene refugia in Amazonia as offered by B. J. Meggers is discussed in terms of dating, climate analysis, ecology, and linguistics. There is strong evidence to suggest that Meggers" formulation may be premature.

The existence of climatic oscillations during the Quaternary in the Neotropics was inferred from the distributions and diversities of the modern flora and fauna. Recent data on soils, geomorphology, palynology, and paleoclimatology confirm the existence of periods of aridity and permit more accurate definition of their durations and impacts. A review of linguistic and archaeological evidence reveals patterns similar to those exhibited by a wide range of biological phenomena. The significance attached to these similarities depends on the theoretical paradigm by which they are judged.

Geoarchaeology is the contribution from earth sciences to the resolution of geology-related problems in archaeology. Its scope is wide, encompassing (1) locating archaeological sites, (2) evaluating the geomorphic landscape for site catchment activities and site location, (3) studying regional stratigraphic and microstratigraphic materials for relative dating and recognition of lateral and vertical distribution of activity areas, (4) analyzing sediments for the elucidation of site-forming processes and quantification of microarchaeological (sub-macroscopic) remains, (5) analyzing paleoenvironments, (6) studying artifacts to determine manufacturing practices, procurement range, trade, and exchange networks, (7) modeling cultural/environmental interactions, (8) conserving archaeological resources, and (9) geochronology.

Hypotheses regarding functions of prehistoric ridge-and furrow agricultural fields from Wisconsin and Michigan have been tested by resorting to data derived from experimental agricultural fields. The primary function of these fields was frost drainage in an area that was marginal to agriculture because of a minimal frost-free growing season. The time of introduction and disappearance of these features may correlate with climatic changes in North America from A.D. 1250 to 1550.

Radiocarbon determinations on marine shell have previously been used to provide evidence assigning a fourth to sixth millennium B.C. age to ceramic objects excavated at the Irvine site, an early Archaic period shell midden located in coastal southern California. Objections have been raised concerning the reliability of the stratigraphic association of ceramics and the radiocarbon-dated marine shell materials. An examination of the thermoluminescence responses of two ceramic samples resulted in minimum TL ages of ca. 1500 B.C. Evidence for a presumably indigenous California ceramic tradition may also be present at two additional sites. This suggests that the arrival of ceramic forms into southern and central California by way of the southern Great Basin and Colorado River may be seen as a separate, comparatively recent [ca. A.D. 1000] phenomenon.

Bones of two cranes, the sandhill crane [Grus canadensis] and the whooping crane [Grus americana], can occur in archaeological sites in North America. Fragments of these bones are frequently and easily confused with similar bone fragments of the common turkey [Meleagris gallopavo]. To preclude these errors, identification techniques are provided for major elements of the sandhill crane and turkey.

A prehispanic Maya dam is reported in the Copan Valley of Honduras. The dam is situated in the foothills above the river bottom at the headwaters of a small tributary, the Quebrada Petapilla. Constructed of cut stone and mortar, the dam was built immediately downstream from a spring and once created a small, flowing pond. The function of the dam is uncertain, although the creation of a greater head of water for the irrigation of the quality farmlands in the foothill zone is a possibility. The dam probably dates no later than the Late Classic period [A.D. 650-800].

The Early Formative site of Real Alto on the southern coast of Ecuador yielded a minimum of 72 human burials attributable to the Valdivia III phase. The construction of an abridged life table represents the first demographic analysis of a prehistoric South American population. Expectation of life at birth was 21 years and at age 15 was 18 years. Comparison with model life tables suggests a crude birthrate of 0.048, a generation length of about 26 years, and completed family size of 6.4 children. The fact that the sample represents a natural population argues against the suggestion that the skeletons largely represent victims of ritual sacrifice.

In this report, conclusive archaeological data are disclosed that demonstrate that about 10,000 B.P. there were in America groups of people able to exploit the sea with remarkable effectiveness. In addition, through the analysis of the biological indicators of three coastal archaeological sites of different chronology, the continuity and the diachronic development of the maritime adaptation in the north of Chile is shown.

It is proposed that archaeological field labs should be a mandatory and integral part of archaeological research design.

“Significance” is evaluated from the perspective of federal agency land management practices and compared with the perspective of significance as a measure of research value.

Unless the results of archaeological research are disseminated, the value of conducting that research is questionable. Mechanisms currently utilized by archaeologists to publish or otherwise distribute reports are inadequate to handle the number of reports being written. Archaeologists should begin utilizing the National Technical Information Service's abstracting and microfiche program. This program would publicize reports and make them available to interested archaeologists.

A recent article by Grennes-Ravitz and Coleman includes several assertions that are not in keeping with the results of recent work in the Basin of Mexico discussed here.

Curren (1977) presents an interesting and provocative hypothesis regarding the “potential” function of “stone gorgets.” Nevertheless, there are some serious problems with his thesis that require comment.

Initially, there is a danger in the rather simplistic association drawn between form and function. To claim a functional similarity because there is a morphological similarity between stone gorgets and contemporary ceramic tools called “ribs” is a risky procedure. One does not need to go very far to demonstrate analogous examples. For instance, if I were to show a surveyor a stone “plummet,” I would most likely elicit the response, “ a surveyor’s plummet in stone?” If I were to present an unsuspecting archaeologist with a surveyor’s plummet, I might hear, “plummets (net sinkers or bolas] in brass?” In contrast to the paper under disucssion, Ahler’s (1971) important study is a sophisticated treatment of the problems involved in equating form with function.

In their report in American Antiquity on the “Application of orthophoto mapping to archaeological problems,” Prewitt and Holz (1976) discuss the use of orthophotos and orthophotomaps in archaeological field inspection but also introduce a number of incorrect definitions and misconceptions concerning the technique. The following comments are an attempt to clarify these points and, in addition, to discuss some other advantages and applications of-and caveats concerning-this useful remote-sensing technique. A select bibliography for further reading in remote sensing and orthophotography is also presented.

Bettinger attempted to find out if change occurred in prehistoric land-use patterns in the Owens Valley, California, by comparing artifact and site distributions with those expected given Steward's ethnographic model for this area. Bettinger's conclusions are found to be faulty because they are contradictory, ignore other potential determinants of archaeological variability, and are based, in some instances, on erroneous interpretation of poorly conceived or inadequate data. We discuss additional factors that should be considered and possible interpretation of Bettinger's results.