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(Terms in italics are defined elsewhere in the glossary)

X-ray diffraction analysis A technique used in identifying minerals present in artifact raw materials; it can also be used in geomorphological contexts to identify particular clay minerals in sediments, and thus the specific source from which the sediment was derived. (Chapter 6)

X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) A method used in the analysis of artifact composition, in which the sample is irradiated with a beam of X-rays which excite electrons associated with atoms on the surface. (Chapter 9)

XTENT modeling A method of generating settlement hierarchy, that overcomes the limitations of both central place theory and Thiessen polygons ; it assigns territories to centers based on their scale, assuming that the size of each center is directly proportional to its area of influence. Hypothetical political maps may thus be constructed from survey data . (Chapter 5)