Harris matrix: Difference between revisions

However theThe concept of creating [[seriation]] diagrams of archaeological strata based on the physical relationship between strata had had some currency in [[Winchester]] and other urban centres in England prior to Harris's formalisation. One of the results of Harris's work, however, was the realisation that sites had to be excavated stratigraphically, in the reverse order to that in which itthey waswere created, without the use of arbitrary measures of stratification such as [[spit (archaeology)|spit]]s or [[planum (archaeology)|planum]]s. HarrisIn first articulated (Inhis ''Principles of archaeological stratigraphy'') Harris first proposed the need for each unit of stratification to have its own graphic representation, usually in the form of a measured plan. In articulating the laws of archaeological stratigraphy and developing a system in which to demonstrate simply and graphically demonstrate the sequence of deposition or truncation on a site, Harris, it has been argued that Harris, has followed in the footsteps of the truly great stratigraphic archaeologists such as Mortimer Wheeler, without necessarily being a great excavator himself. Harris's work was a vital pre-cursor to the development of single context planning by the [[Museum of London]] and also the development of land use diagrams, all facets of a suite of archaeological recording tools and techniques developed in the UK which allow indepthin-depth analysis of complex archaeological data sets, usually from urban [[Excavation (archaeology)|excavation]]s.

In constructing a matrix, the latest [[Archaeological context|contexts]] sit on top of the matrix and the earliest at the bottom with the lines that link them together representing direct stratigraphic contact (though note that though all stratigraphic relationships are physical, not all physical relationships are stratigraphic). The matrix thus demonstrates the temporal relationship between any two units of archaeological [[Stratification (archeology)|stratification]]. While [[Excavation (archaeology)|excavating]], ''it is best practice'' to compile the area and site stratigraphic matrices during the progress of an excavation through reference to both the drawn and written record. Regular daily checking of the record and the compilation of the matrix itself both help inform the individual archaeologist on the physical processes of site formation and highlight any areas where dubious relationships such as H relationships or loops in the recorded sequence may occur. Loops are sequences in the matrix that produce temporal anomalies so that the earliest context in a sequence of context appears to be later than the latest context by virtue of errors in excavation or recording. Urban archaeological sites are complex affairs, often generating thousands of units of archaeological stratigraphy ([[Archaeological context|contexts]]). It is of even more vital importance when excavating such sites to compile the matrix as the excavation progresses. Such sites by definition produce multi-linear sequences of succession and to date the best way to get a handle of these sequences is to compile the matrix by hand, based on the drawings and the context sheets. This ensures an internally consistent record and that the complexity of the site is given due regard. Computer programmes do exist which can aid the production of a matrix, though at the moment these tend towards articulating linear sequences rather than multi-linear sequences.