Site Formation Processes and the Origin of Artifacts in Plow-Zone Proveniences: A Case Study from the Rio Grande Valley,Texas

Abstract

Archaeological sites located in agricultural settings are subject to a number of post-depositional processes which can alter their original systemic context. This article presents a case that artifacts may be introduced to agricultural fields as secondary deposits in sediment transported during agricultural activities. As the practice of transporting sediment from one location to another in agricultural settings appear to be widespread, caution should be taken when assigning behavioral significance to surface records in such contexts.