Abstract
Abstract The collection of soil samples for flotation has become a routine part of most archaeological excavations. This paper discusses some untested assumptions concerning two sample collection types, commonly termed bulk and scatter samples. Both sampling strategies were used simultaneously at the site of Pancan, in the central highlands of Peru. In our analysis we examine the relationships between the contents of each type of sample from the same locus within the site, as well as the possible influence of cultural context, locus size, and a number of identified taxa per sample. Four popular quantification schemes are also investigated, using both collection types. We conclude that the results from the two different schemes are fairly similar, but that there are some consistent patterns of difference. Our tests from Pancan also indicate that some common assumptions concerning the results of bulk and scatter samples are correct, and that some do not stand up for the samples. The final recommendation is that the best results are obtained by collecting one type of sample consistently from all locations within a site.
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