In a message dated 8/24/2007 11:58:34 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
[log in to unmask] writes:

Full  stratigraphic recording, preferably using a variant of the  
single  context system is the only scientific way to record strata. If  
there  are later elements in an earlier strata, then the excavator  
hasn't  done a competent job of excavation as these should have been   
discerned in the field and recorded there as intrusive. Site  diaries,  
how quaint. Check for more modern and robust systems that  allow for  
direct recording of intrusives and other oddities  directly. As for  
the how, profiles at 1:10 are more than adequate to  show rodent holes  
as well as tree actions. Discarding later  artifacts is highly  
unethical because it merely is the evidence of  said incompetence.



My, my, aren't we judgemental today? You bandy about terms like "single  
context system" and "competent job" and disparage "site diaries" and boost  
"robust systems" and declare "unethical" and "incompetance" as  if there is only one 
way to record archaeological deposits. As to  discarding artifacts, why just 
last week we all read Carol Serr report that the  San Diego Archaeological 
Center discards all ferrous metal artifacts when they  take-in collections for 
long-term curation. There are many diffierent ways of  recording, documenting, 
curating, and, yes, interpreting archaeology site  formation, transformation 
and the like. Michael Schiffer came up with a  good pioneering methodology, but 
there are others to consider as well.
 
Ron May
Legacy 106, Inc. 



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