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Flotation Method in Archaeology

A Brief Bibliography on the Flotation Method

By K. Kris Hirst, About.com

The flotation method is a technique used to recover small particles from soil recovered from features. The following is a bibliography of its invention and subsequent modifications.

Bodner, Connie C. and Ralph M. Rowlett 1980 Separation of bone, charcoal, and seeds by chemical flotation. American Antiquity 45(1):110-116.

Davis, E. M. and Al B. Wesolowsky 1975 The Izum: A simple water separation device. Journal of Field Archaeology 2:271-273.

French, D. H. 1971 An experiment in water-sieving. Anatolian Studies 21:59-64.

Hunter, Andrea A. and Brian R. Gassner 1998 Evaluation of the Flote-Tech machine-assisted flotation system. American Antiquity 63(1):143-156.

James, Steven R. 1997 Methodological issues concerning screen size recovery rates and their effects on archaeofaunal interpretations. Journal of Archaeological Science 24:385-397.

Keepax, Carole 1977 Contamination of archaeological deposits by seeds of modern origin with particular reference to the use of flotation machines. Journal of Archaeological Science 42:21-229.

Kidder, Tristram R. 1997 Sugar reflotation: An alternative method for sorting flotation-derived heavy fraction samples. Journal of Field Archaeology 24(1):39-45.

Lennstrom, Heidi A. and Christine A. Hastorf 1995 Interpretation in context: Sampling and analysis in paleoethnobotany. American Antiquity 60(4):701-721.

Limp, W. F. 1974 Water separation and flotation processes. Journal of Field Archaeology 1(3):337-342.

Minnis, Paul E. and Steven A. LeBlanc 1976 An efficient, inexpensive arid lands flotation system. American Antiquity 41(4):491-493.

Neumann, Thomas W. 1978 A model for the vertical distribution of flotation-size particles. Plains Anthropologist 23(80):85-101.

Rossen, Jack 1999 The Flote-Tech flotation machine: Messiah or mixed blessing? American Antiquity 64(2):370-372.

Schock, Jack M. 1971 Indoor water flotation - A technique for the recovery of archaeological materials. Plains Anthropologist 16228-231.

Shaffer, Brian S. and Barry W. Baker 1999 Comments on James' methodological issues concerning analysis of archaeofaunal recovery and screen size correction factors. Journal of Archaeological Science 26:1181-1182.

Struever, Stuart 1968 Flotation techniques for the recovery of small-scale archaeological remains. American Antiquity 33(3):353-362.

Watson, Patty J. 1976 In pursuit of prehistoric subsistence: A comparative account of some contemporary flotation techniques. Midcontinental Journal of Archaeology 1(1):77-100.

Weaver, M. E. 1971 A new water separation process for soil from archaeological excavations. Anatolian Studies 21:65-68.

Williams, David 1973 Flotation at Siraf. Antiquity 47:288-292.

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