Field Methods in Archaeology by Hester Thomas R Shafer Harry J Feder Kenneth L

Author:Hester, Thomas R,Shafer, Harry J,Feder, Kenneth L
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd
Published: 2016-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

Figure 10.4 Complex stratigraphy at the Willowbend site, Mashpee, Massachusetts: (a) profile; (b) completed Harris Matrix for the site.

An analogy from linguistics may be useful here. The phonetic unit is the smallest distinguishable unit (as is the strati-unit), and the phoneme is the smallest functional unit (as is the interpretative unit). Each functional unit is based on interpretation of the physical evidence, which in turn allows an interpretation of an event. This event, the building of a wall and associated floor, also represents a period of time, which can be designated a “time-span” (Coe 1962:506). If one uses this system of excavation, labeling, recording, analysis, interpretation, and synthesis, one ends up with a depositional history. These depositions may be phrased in either terms of interpretative units or in terms of time spans. Figure 10.7 illustrates the various strata that, together, comprise the depositional history of the structure at Operation 2037, Colha, Belize.

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