Three images in a row. First is of archaeologists excavating a feature. Second is a photo of an excavated feature. Third is a section drawing of a well.

Introduction

1. Background to creation of this Handbook

This Handbook has been developed following work on The Matrix project (AH/T002093/1) that identified a number of issues with reusing the archaeological information in digital archives. Consultation carried out during the Matrix project delivered feedback that a collective approach to tackling these issues would be most effective in delivering a sustainable outcome. The Matrix project established a current lack of standard documentation of procedures for post excavation work by the commercial archaeological sector (and even largely by academics) and identified a need for a cross-sector set of common procedures to reflect and enshrine best practice in post-excavation analysis work e.g. a data package for stratigraphic and chronological data. The project recommended that further work should be undertaken with stakeholders across the sector, and particularly the major contracting archaeology organizations, to develop shared good practice documentation in the form of an online handbook. This online resource will be piloted initially for stratigraphic analysis and related practices but could potentially be developed for a wider set of related post-ex analysis practices, including submission and format of specialist analysis data. This in turn would help improve the practices for sharing, interoperability and reuse (FAIRness) of data deposited in resulting archaeological archives.

2. Purpose of the Handbook – Why focus on Stratigraphic Analysis?

The aim of this handbook is to draw together the collective expertise of the main archaeological contractors in the UK and, in consultation with other stakeholders from the sector, to provide an online resource that documents a collective agreement on the common processes and methodologies used during stratigraphic analysis post-excavation activities. The Work will/has been undertaken collaboratively across the sector to develop more consistent approaches for creating the (digital) outputs from stratigraphic analysis, using existing stratigraphic principles and recognised standards, and especially to identify common stratigraphic data that are required to form part of a consistent and completed digital archive deposition.

This handbook focuses on stratigraphic analysis in order to identify the most common and consistent outputs that derive from this stage in the archaeological process, and thereby provide the basis for a set of minimum digital data packages for stratigraphic analysis data. During The Matrix project it was widely acknowledged that there is more than one method of undertaking archaeological stratigraphic analysis, depending upon a range of factors encountered in the archaeology and the scale and nature of the project. The handbook reflects that our analytical tools and systems need to be flexible and adaptable, and yet digitally sustainable, to facilitate the interoperability and reuse of our site and stratigraphic data. There are many varied and good practices reflected in the different circumstances and methodologies outlined in this handbook which attempts to distill the best practice from each of these different processes and approaches. 

There are a considerable number and variety of field recording manuals and academic publications related specifically to the methodology and practice of field recording (for a far from exhaustive list see Resources section – Examples of Recording Manuals & Recording Documentation). Yet The Matrix project found much more limited literature about the techniques, method and practice of post-excavation analysis of excavation fieldwork data. It is that gap that this handbook is intended to fill and why it therefore may appear to some people to start ”somewhere in the middle” of the archaeological process.

The handbook aims to reflect the most common current practice and assist archaeologists in maintaining and developing best practice in their stratigraphic analysis and the production of the related outputs that will be deposited in the corresponding archives.

3. Overview Diagram of key steps and outputs in the stratigraphic analysis process

Overview diagram of steps in the Stratigraphic analysis process. Showing a series of boxes with a flow of information and outputs from the typical stratigraphic workflow
Overview diagram of steps and flow of information in a typical Stratigraphic analysis process.

4. How to use the Handbook

In draft (as the handbook continues to develop)

The handbook has been divided into a number of sections, identified, during consultation with archaeologists, as the main steps taken during post-excavation stratigraphic analysis .

  • Check Stratigraphic Relationships
  • Grouping (subgrouping)
  • Phasing
  • Dating and Periodization
  • Land Use
  • Stratigraphic Narrative

These different sections of the Handbook can be browsed from the drop-down Menu at the top of this page. These sections cover the main stages in a process known widely as stratigraphic analysis, from firstly consolidating and validating excavation records, through Grouping; Phasing; Dating; Land Use; towards the writing of the Stratigraphic Narrative.

An overview of the main content can be discerned from the diagram showing the “Typical Archaeological Stratigraphic Workflow”. This includes a listing of the most typical Outputs from these steps in the process. It is intended that by identifying these Outputs it will aid the clearer sign-posting and ‘Findability’ (FAIRness) of the outputs from this work in resulting publications and archives.

The Resources section (available from the Main Menu) contains a number of separate items that both reflect current practice, and are intended to help the user of the Handbook orientate themselves or understand how this Handbook sits within other reference materials.

While this Handbook is intended to give a useful summation of the main steps and methods used in this stratigraphic analysis workflow, it cannot cover in detail the multiple forms and permutations of archaeological features and stratigraphy that could be encountered on every possible type of archaeological site. 

The bibliography has therefore been included to provide references to other relevant documentation. As this project matures and further guidance documents are identified they can be referenced through the Bibliography or added to the Resources sections.

5. Postscript

This online resource will be piloted initially for stratigraphic analysis and related practices but could potentially be developed for a wider set of related post-ex analysis practices, including submission and format of specialist analysis data. Where further development of the Handbook might be identified this may be included as a separate or linked (modular) section to include other steps in the post-excavation process.

Header Image Credits: left to right – CC BY 4.0 Network Archaeology Ltd (2024) Images from a Trial Trench Evaluation and Watching Brief at the Tirley Feeder Connector, 2011 https://doi.org/10.5284/1117193. CC BY 4.0 South West Archaeology Ltd (2023) Images and Site Records from an Archaeological Evaluation and a Heritage Impact Assessment at Copplestone Farm, West Manley, Tiverton, Devon, March-July 2019 https://doi.org/10.5284/1117222. CC BY 4.0 Worcestershire Archaeology (2023) Digital Archive from an Open Area Excavation at The Pippin, Calne https://doi.org/10.5284/1116196