Patterns on the landscape: Untangling pottery surface assemblages

This study describes a methodology to uncover activity patterns obtained through surface survey. More specifically, we present a way to elicit and interpret pottery surface assemblages from Mallorca's Late Iron Age, the Balearic Period (550 -1 BCE) recovered during the 2014-18 seasons of the Landscape, Encounters and Identity Archaeological project (LEIAp). To achieve this goal, we derive a new binary (pseudo-) metric or dissimilarity coefficient that in combination with a spectral biclustering algorithm allows us to group areas on the landscape with similar pottery assemblages. This new metric better aligns with our intuition about the similarities between pottery assemblages than other well-known binary metrics. Careful examination of the composition of the groups obtained from clustering enables us to forward interpretations regarding activities that occurred at various non-monumental enclaves throughout the landscape. These results provide a more nuanced view of the landscape during this period of time, in particular, by exposing the existence of non-monumental domestic spaces and areas destined to transport and farming activities. •Intensive and systematic survey in Mallorca (Western Mediterranean).•Analysis of surface survey pottery using clustering techniques.•New dissimilarity coefficient to measure distance between pottery assemblages.•Interpretation of activity areas on the landscape.•Python for data analysis.