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Abstract
Variation in the density of archaeological evidence is caused by a multitude of interacting factors, some of which reinforce each other and some of which act to disguise genuine patterns of past practice. This paper initially presents a set of density models for England constructed by the members of the English Landscape and Identities (EngLaId) project and then goes on to discuss three possible explanations for the variation seen: modern affordance, variability in past usage of material culture, and past population density. The various members of the project team (with the aid of Andrew Lowerre) then provide their thoughts on the models and ideas presented from their own specific period specialist perspectives. The article is presented in this discursive format to reflect the differing opinions and approaches across an unusual multi-period project, in the spirit of multi-vocality and healthy debate.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, we would like to thank the European Research Council for funding our project (Grant Number 269797). We would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to every person and organization who has provided data to us: the local authority HERs, Historic England, the Portable Antiquities Scheme, the Fitzwilliam Museum, Open Domesday, the Archaeological Investigations Project, the Archaeology Data Service, the National Trust, David Yates, and Janice Kinory. For the pottery distribution section in particular, we would like to thank the following for helpful discussions and (in the case of Toby) provision of data: Paul Booth, Helena Hamerow, Catherine Hills, and Toby Martin. We would also like to thank the other EngLaId team members and meeting attendees not involved in this article for providing an intellectually stimulating environment. We would like to thank the three anonymous reviewers for their very helpful comments and suggestions on the paper as originally submitted.