The archaeological geology of the Quaternary or the geological epoch
during which humankind evolved is a scientific endeavor with much to
offer in the fields of archaeology and palaeoanthropology. Earth science
techniques offer diverse ways of characterizing the elements of past
landscapes and archaeological facies. This book is a survey of
techniques used in archaeological geology for the study of soils,
sediments, rocks and minerals. The techniques presented represent those
most commonly used today. They are discussed in detail and examples are
provided, in many cases, to demonstrate their usefulness to
archaeologists.