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A regional perspective on assessing the significance of historic period sites

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Abstract

Historic period archaeological sites are evaluated most frequently on the basis of the information potential of individual sites. This paper considers how the relative frequencies of different site types also can contribute to the understanding of regional patterns. Data from outer Cape Cod, Massachusetts, collected as part of the Cape Cod National Seashore Archaeological Survey are utilized.

While it is clear that sites that might not have important information as individual entities can contribute to the understanding of regional patterns, the preservation of each of these individual sites is not necessary. Frequency estimates available from probability samples can be useful in evaluating the significance of individual sites.

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McManamon, F.P. A regional perspective on assessing the significance of historic period sites. Hist Arch 24, 14–22 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03374125

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