I believe Cincinnati was where we presented results from the Central Artery
Project in Boston, which was conducted using a modified Harris Matrix.  Joe
Balicki of JMA was the person responsible for actually maintaining the
matrix during fieldwork.   The verdict was that it required some additional
effort in the field, but that it enabled a clearer discussion of the
stratigraphy than might otherwise have been had it not been used. It has the
advantage of enabling clear explanation of the archaeological record of site
formation and development.

I've since used it from time to time on small urban monitoring and Phase II
projects.

Lauren J. Cook, RPA
Senior Archaeologist
Richard Grubb & Associates, Inc.
30 North Main Street
Cranbury, NJ 08512

Ph: 609 655-0692 ext 312
Fx: 609 655-3050
email: [log in to unmask]

-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Iain
Stuart
Sent: Saturday, October 15, 2005 9:06 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Harris Matrix


When I first visited America in the 1990's I attended the SHA conference at
Cincinnati and found much to my surprise the Harris matrix referred to as a
novelty in a works shop on urban archaeology. I thought it was a subtle
joke, but I was wrong it was real. I remember Adrian Pretzellis introducing
me to Ed Harris later that day and they both explained why it wasn't a
humerous joke.

I cannot understand why Harris's work on stratigraphy is properly taught and
why it isn't seen as best archaeological practice. The concepts are not
particularly difficult (except perhaps negative interfaces) and clearly stem
from Wheeler's criticism of the practice of stratigraphic recording.

Surely the basic archaeological tools are plans and stratigraphic sections,
as they provide the context for the things (artefacts and other evidence) we
excavate.

Harris's work is a fundamental insight into the issue of stratigraphy and
the adaptation of the Harris matrix concept to building archaeology by the
late Martin Davies is an important approach to integrating built structures
into archaeological remains.

I don't think what colour pencil to use in recording stratigraphy is much of
an issue.

Iain Stuart

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