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(Terms in italics are defined elsewhere in the glossary)
native copper Metallic copper found naturally in nuggets, which can be worked by hammering, cutting, and annealing . (Chapter 12)
negative feedback In systems thinking , this is a process which acts to counter or "dampen" the potentially disruptive effects of external inputs; it acts as a stabilizing mechanism (see homeostasis ). (Chapter 12)
Neolithic An Old World chronological period characterized by the development of agriculture and, hence, an increasing emphasis on sedentism. (Chapter 4)
Neolithic Revolution A term coined by V.G. Childe in 1941 to describe the origin and consequences of farming (i.e. the development of stock raising and agriculture), allowing the widespread development of settled village life. (Chapter 7)
neutron activation analysis (NAA) A method used in the analysis of artifact composition which depends on the excitation of the nuclei of the atoms of a sample's various elements, when these are bombarded with slow neutrons. The method is accurate to about plus or minus 5 percent. (Chapter 9)
neutron scattering A remote sensing technique involving placing a probe into the soil in order to measure the relative rates of neutron flows through the soil. Since stone produces a lower count rate than soil, buried features can often be detected. (Chapter 3)
New Archaeology A new approach advocated in the 1960s which argued for an explicitly scientific framework of archaeological method and theory, with hypotheses rigorously tested, as the proper basis for explanation rather than simply description (see also processual archaeology ). (Introduction & Chapter 1)
NISP (number of identified specimens) A gross counting technique used in the quantification of animal bones. The method may produce misleading results in assessing the relative abundance of different species, since skeletal differences and differential rates of bone preservation mean that some species will be represented more than others. (Chapter 7)
non-equilibrium systems See self-organization .
non-probabilistic sampling A non-statistical sampling strategy (in contrast to probabilistic sampling ) which concentrates on sampling areas on the basis of intuition, historical documentation, or long field experience in the area. (Chapter 3)
nuclear DNA DNA present ( within the chromosomes in the nucleus of the cell.
(Chapters 5 & 11)
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