Exploring the reliability of the archaeological surface document. Some examples from Spain's southwest

Abstract

The different projects carried out by the Instituto de Arqueología de Mérida (CSIC – Junta de Extremadura) have generated an important quantity of archaeological information of a territory which has not had a regional studies continuous tradition. This fact allows a closer interpretation of the interaction between the environment, the societies that have dwelt it and the formation of the current landscape. Furthermore, this dataset lets us to check the quality and reliability of the information generated during surface surveys. Thus we are able to infer how various factors determine the results of our field work, particularly in an area where similar works have not been performed.