The cultural ascription and evaluation of archaeological surface assemblages: Development and application of the Archaeological Surveying Consistency Index (ASCI) in the radial archaeological survey of Minateda rock art site (SE Spain)

Abstract

This work presents a new methodological tool developed in order to achieve more rigorous and objective ascription and evaluation of the archaeological surface assemblages: the Archaeological Surveying Consistency Index (ASCI). A combination of this innovative approach, GIS technologies and a radial model of intensive archaeological survey is designed and implemented on a case study to provide an answer to an archaeological anomaly in the field of archaeological surveying. The radial model of intensive archaeological survey and total coverage was designed on the basis of the background, the characteristics of the terrain and, fundamentally, of the posed hypotheses (proximity and visibility). The information thus generated was analysed and represented using GIS technologies (kernel maps, proportional symbols maps, viewshed analyses). Our research has allowed us to give cultural material contextualization to Abrigo Grande de Minateda, a paradigmatic rock art site of the prehistoric art of the Iberian Peninsulás Mediterranean Arc, which has been recognised as World Heritage in 1998 by UNESCO.