engleski

Losing Archaeological Potential: The Proposition of Assessment Method

The issues regarding the loss of value and scientific potential of the archaeological record are constantly and inevitably present in the background of archaeological practice and in nearly any attempt at archaeological interpretation. These considerations represent a fundamental motive for improving our understanding of the value-loss process and for finding the appropriate way for evaluation of its effects. In that context the problem of loss becomes unavoidably framed by the problem of value construction processes and the manner the values appear in archaeological context. Every construction of values inevitably results in categorization which enables the placement of values in understandable relations, even if they are generally defined as invaluable. Depending on theoretical background, value assessments can be based on various forms of categorization and expressed through different procedures which can in different ways and in different ratios use descriptive and numeric system for expressing assessment results. By examining the possibilities offered by quantitative types of value assessment, it is possible to propose a method of value loss assessments for damaged archaeological record which can enable the derivation of meaningful and archaeologically justified statement of the damage committed and the loss suffered. The results obtained by testing the proposed method in practice provide a sufficient amount of data for more specific understanding of the advantages and limitations of the proposed procedure.

damaged archaeological record ; archaeological potential ; loss of value ; quantitative assessment

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