Critique of Archaeological Reason
3. Notes

Notes to Chapter 5. Stratigraphic analysis

– May 2023

5.1 The nature of stratigraphic analysis
5.2 Emplacement: the overriding significance of contacts
      5.2.1 The notion of contiguity
      5.2.2 Direct contact
      5.2.3 Indirect contacts
      5.2.4 Assessment of contacts
      5.2.5 In search of laws
5.3 Deposition: time as function of space
      5.3.1 An archaeological inference
      5.3.2 Emplacement as a clue to deposition
      5.3.3 Strata definition and strata assignment
      5.3.4 Automatic derivation of strata sequence
5.4 Conceptualization
5.5 Documentation
      5.5.1 The nature of documentation
      5.5.2 The digital and grammatical dimensions
      5.5.3 The basic principles of documentation
      5.5.4 The mechanics of the input
      5.5.5 The significance of feedback in the input phase
5.6 In praise of theory


5.1 The nature of stratigraphic analysis

  1. On the grammatical aspects of stratigraphic analysis see the relevant section of G A R.

  2. Harris 1975 Stratigraphic Sequence.

  3. The beginning of stratigraphy in excavation: Lucas 2001 Fieldwork.

    – [ Laerke Recht, September 2014]

  4. Compare the definition of stratigraphic excavation offered by Obrien & Lyman 2002 Epistemological Nature Archaeological Units.

    – [ Laerke Recht, October 2015]

  5. See also Carandini 2000 Storie, ch. 2; Herz & Garrison 1997 Geological Methods.

    – [ Laerke Recht, July 2016]

  6. Emplacement and deposition, cf. Hodder & Hutson 2003 Reading The Past; ; cf. also the dedicated theme “Emplacement and context”.

    – [ Laerke Recht, July 2016]

     Back to top
5.2.1 The notion of contiguity
  1. Context: Lyman 2012 Archaeological Association Context Provenience.

    – [ Laerke Recht, July 2016]

     Back to top
5.3.1 An archaeological inference
  1. See also the principles in Bahn 2001 Archaeology Guide.

    – [ Laerke Recht, July 2016]

     Back to top
5.3.3 Strata definition and strata assignment
  1. See also the discussion of superposition, strata and stratigraphy in Obrien & Lyman 2002 Epistemological Nature Archaeological Units.

    – [ Laerke Recht, October 2015]

     Back to top

5.4 Conceptualization

  1. See Buccellati G 1981 Stratigraphic.

    – [July 2016]

  2. Harris matrix: Harris 1979 Archaeological Stratigraphy.

    – [ Laerke Recht, July 2016]

     Back to top

5.6 In praise of theory

  1. Cf. Bernbeck 1997 Theorien; Gardin 1980 Archaeological; Yoffee & Sherratt 1993 Archaeological.

    – [July 2016]

     Back to top