On transparent blindfolds [An article from: Journal of Archaeological Science]

This digital document is a journal article from Journal of Archaeological Science, published by Elsevier in 2004. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
An extensive study of phytoliths in grasses from the Neotropics by Pearsall et al. (J. Archaeol. Sci. 30 (2003) 611), including a blind test, contending to support the identification of Zea at the genus level and distinguish maize and teosinte in archaeological sediments and soils, is examined. The results presented in that study provide evidence indicating a lack of methodological precision and accuracy, and involving inherent technical contradictions. Attempts to replicate the results of previous related studies strongly point to a problem in research design and in how the blind test was conducted. Rather than supporting the identification of Zea spp., this study provides evidence to indicate a lack of reliability and/or credibility of this method for maize identification in archaeological contexts and calls into question the procedures advocated by the author and her associates.