ABSTRACT
Choosing the right kind of data-screening procedure requires a consideration of both the kinds of data involved and the nature of the research problem. In the case of Guila Naquitz, the data consisted of frequencies of various items per grid unit of occupation space. Hackberry seeds were concentrated mainly in the northwest quadrant of the cave, and it is useful to compare their distribution with that of mesquite seeds. Both are products of the Mesquite Grassland, and their major distributions on the floor virtually overlapped. Bean pod valves occurred predominandy in one scatter that peaked at more than 59 valves/square. This suggests that regardless of how many trips were made to collect runner beans, all were threshed and discarded in one pile near the northern limits of the excavation. Bean pod valves were very lightly distributed over the central part of the living floor.
