Comparative Archaeology Database, University of Pittsburgh
URL: http://www.cadb.pitt.edu
Email: cadb@pitt.edu

Upper Térraba Regional Dataset
Felipe Sol C.

Collection Information

The data files COLLECTIONINFO.TXT and COLLECTIONINFO.XLS provide the lot number, raw sherd counts, and additional details about every surface collection or shovel test probe carried out within the study area. COLLECTIONINFO.TXT is an ASCII text file; COLLECTIONINFO.XLS contains the same data in the form of an Excel spreadsheet. Each line represents either one shovel test probe, one systematic surface collection rectangle, or one asystematic surface collection. There are 1344 lines in the text file, each with 25 variables separated by commas. The variables are, in the following order:

1

Lot number. Refers to an area of approximately ¼ of hectare where one or more samples of archaeological material were collected.

2

Bag. Identification number of an independent sample collected in a lot.

3

Site Name

4

Lot area (m²).

5

Collection date.

If shovel test probe:

6

Number of shovel test within lot.
1=First shovel test carried out within lot.
2=Second shovel test carried out within lot.

7

Width of probe (cm).

8

Length of probe (cm).

9

Depth of probe (cm).

10

Depth of cultural stratum (cm).

11

Volume of shovel test probe (m³).

If surface collection:

12


Number of surface collection carried out within lot.
1=First surface collection carried out within lot.
2=Second surface collection carried out within lot.

13

Width of collection rectangle (m).

14

Length of collection rectangle (m).

15

Area of collection rectangle (m²).

If asystematic surface collection:

16

Asystematic collection.
1=Yes.

17

Asystematic collection information.

Additional information:

18

Asociated features.

19

Presence of funerary evidence (such as funerary mounds, looted graves, or grave stone markers).
1=Yes.

20

Presence of standing stones.
1=Yes.

21

Presence of mounds.
1=Yes.

22

Type of surface vegetation.

23

Total sherds.

24

Total sherds / m²: Total number of sherds per square meter from a surface collection.

25

Total sherds /m³: Total number of sherds per cubic meter from a shovel test probe.

The first line of the ASCII text file, for example, looks like this:

1,1,Quizarrá,2479.867,7/20/2009,,,,,,,1,2,10,20,,,,,,,limpio,104,5.20,

This indicates that the lot information pertains to lot 1, bag (or surface collection) 1. This collection is in the Quizarrá site, within a lot with an area of 2479.867 m², and was carried out on 7/20/2009. Because this is a surface collection, no shovel probe information is provided. It is the first (and only) surface collection of this lot, with a width of 2 m and a length of 10 m, for an area of 20 m². No asystematic collection is provided because this was a systematic surface collection. Vegetation comments read "limpio." The total number of sherds for this collection was 104, for an overall density of 5.20 sherds/m².

The last, or 1344th, line of the ASCII text file is:

1280,,CAT159,105.939,4/6/2012,1,100,500,,,5,,,,,,,,,,,bosque,1,,0.20

This indicates that the lot information pertains to lot 1280. Because there was only one shovel probe carried out within this lot, no bag (or probe test) number is provided. This collection is in the site CAT159, within a lot with an area of 105.939 m², and was carried out on 4/6/2012. It is the first (and only) shovel probe of this lot, with a width of 100 cm and a length of 500 cm. No depth is specified, and the volume is 5 m³. No asystematic collection is provided because this was a shovel probe. Vegetation comments read "bosque." The total number of sherds for this collection was 1, for an overall density of 0.20 sherds/m³.

Click here to download the file COLLECTIONINFO.TXT (100 KB) or the file COLLECTIONINFO.XLS (243 KB).


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