Have you considered using an electronic total station for collecting the
site.  With this equipment you can map each piece in XYZ planes and download
directly into computer.  Various programs will draw your site topgraphy,
provide distribution maps, and even 3d imaging.  Combining artfiact catalog
and collected data allows you to sort and re-map according to any criteria
you have included in your catalog.
 
    As far as the prospects of above ground stratigraphy... strata is
strata.  It seems there may be chronological variation evident in above
ground stratigraphy and possible horizon markers that can be correlated to
features and buried strata.
 
Good luck.
Ed Otter
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Michael LaRong <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thursday, February 04, 1999 2:40 PM
Subject: Spacial Analysis
 
 
>Histarchers,
>
>        Hi everybody, my name is Michael LaRonge I'm a grad student at
>Michigan Tech, working on my masters in Industrial Archaeology.  If things
>work out I will be excavating a c.1840's blacksmithing shop at an early
>mining site here in the U.P.  In addition to some excavation my field
>methodology will also include a 100% surface collection of artifacts, at
>the request of the Forest Service Archaeologist in charge of the site,
>since the site rests near a national hiking trail and looting is fast
>becoming a problem.  The site is located along the top of a bluff and it
>seems they may have quite literally shut the doors and walked away leaving
>the building to decay and most of the artifacts on or near the ground
>surface.  My question is this, methodologicaly speaking is it possible to
>have an above ground stratigraphy related to artifacts, and if so how much
>can one rely on it?  For instance, there is probably little stratigraphic
>information to be gained from a stock pile of iron since it was probably
>stacked all at once.  Meanwhile, it is obvious that the same stockpile
>yields perfectly good spatial data on a horizontal plane.  On the other
>hand, how much reliance can one put on a piece of stoneware resting over a
>medicine bottle on the surface?  Maybe some of you folks down in the
>Southwestern U.S. who deal alot with surface finds can suggest somethings.
>I am currently reading an anthology on spatial analysis edited by Ellen M.
>Kroll and T. Douglass Price, but it was suggested to me that I may want to
>ask around for more opinions on the subject.  Any help would be
appreciated.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Michael LaRonge
>