Principles of Archaeological Stratigraphy

✍ Scribed by Edward C. Harris (Auth.)

• Publisher: Elsevier Ltd, Academic Press
• Year: 1989
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 181
• Edition: 2
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

This book is the only text devoted entirely to archaeological stratigraphy, a subject of fundamental importance to most studies in archaeology. The first edition appeared in 1979 as a result of the invention, by the author, of the Harris Matrix--a method for analyzing and presenting the stratigraphic sequences of archaeological sites. The method is now widely used in archaeology all over the world.
The opening chapters of this edition discuss the historical development of the ideas of archaeological stratigraphy. The central chapters examine the laws and basic concepts of the subject, and the last few chapters look at methods of recording stratification, constructing stratigraphic sequences, and the analysis of stratification and artifacts.
The final chapter, which is followed by a glossary of stratigraphic terms, gives an outline of a modern system for recording stratification on archaeological sites. This book is written in a simple style suitable for the student or amateur. The radical ideas set out should also give the professional archaeologist food for thought.

Key Features
Covers a basic principle of all archaeological excavations
Provides a data description and analysis tool for all such digs, which is now widely accepted and used.
* Gives extra information

✦ Table of Contents

Content:
Front Matter, Page iii
Copyright, Page iv
Foreword, Page v
Acknowledgements, Page vi
Preface, Page vii
Dedication, Page viii
Inside Front Cover, Page x
Introduction, Pages xi-xiv
1 - The concept of stratigraphy in geology, Pages 1-6
2 - The concept of stratigraphy in archaeology, Pages 7-13
3 - Techniques of archaeological excavation, Pages 14-21
4 - Early recording methods on excavations, Pages 22-28
5 - The laws of archaeological stratigraphy, Pages 29-39
6 - Deposits as units of stratification, Pages 40-53
7 - Interfaces as units of stratification, Pages 54-68
8 - Archaeological sections, Pages 69-81
9 - Archaeological plans, Pages 82-104
10 - Correlation, phasing and stratigraphic sequences, Pages 105-119
11 - Stratigraphic sequences and post-excavation analyses, Pages 120-137
12 - An outline for stratigraphic recording on excavations, Pages 138-154
Glossary of terms used in archaeological stratigraphy, Pages 155-160
Bibliography, Pages 161-168
Index, Pages 169-170