Archaeological Stratigraphy, Terminology, and Chronology

Goals for today

learn principals of stratigraphy learn important terminology for archaeology learn how stratigraphy is reported

– recording system and reporting– e.g., Harris matrix

learn how chronology is important– relative chronology– absolute chronology

Principals of Stratigraphy What is a tel? What is a stratum? What is a locus? What is a layer? What is a feature?

– pits– walls– anything that is human-made

What is a tel?

Example of a tel: Jokneam

Megiddo Aerial

BeershebaBeersheba

Lachish Aerial

Lachish Area S 1987

What is a stratum?

What is a stratum?

Stratigraphy inAshkelon Gate

Area A at Hazor

Stratigraphy from Ekron

What is a locus? (From top)

What is a locus? (from side)

Layers and Features

layer has depth

feature is human-made

Layers and Features

layer layer

layerlayer

layer

layer

layer

layer

layerlayer

feature

feature

feature

featurefeature

feature

Harris Matrix and Block Diagram