Stratigraphy And Wheeler Box-Grid

Stratigraphy is the study of rock stratification, sediments, soil, and any cultural remains and their interpretation through the understanding of the law of superposition, principle of cross-cutting relationships, principle of inclusions, and principle of faunal succession. This is a concept borrowed from geology, and just like geologists use it to get an understanding and reconstruction of Earth’s history, archaeologists use it to understand and reconstruct history of people and archaeological sites. By looking into the sequences of deposition of sediments, we can understand the different layers and their relationships. Any cultural artifacts that are found in between rock layers can be dated based on the stratigraphy and sequences. Archaeologists have to have a grasp of the concept of superposition and have skills to recognize the rocks by colors, textures, smells, and its contents. They must understand how the layers were formed including “whether by natural accumulation, deliberate fill, or collapse of higher-standing buildings” and recording information retrieved into a stratigraphic column. There are problems that can arise if there isn’t a clear understanding of stratigraphy. One example of a problem that can arise is that one kind of material can cut into the layers of same material and if the later feature isn’t easily recognized it can be seen as the rocks have been stratified together.

This leads us to the excavation method of the Wheeler box-grid, which is a method developed by Sir Robert Eric Mortimer Wheeler that retained balks of earth in between grid squares so different stratigraphy layers can be correlated through the site in vertical layers. By understanding stratigraphy, it makes it much easier to understand Wheeler box-grids and how they are used in archaeology.Excavations were usually conducted in horizontal and that there should be an equal amount of time given to the vertical box method that was given to the horizontal methods. But also they were wondering how to bring in different dimensions and combine them with the other dimensions being looked at. Wheeler questioned and argued that excavations must:“ (a) conveniently and clearly subdivisible for record and control; (b) capable of easy, progressive expansion in any direction without breaking down or impairing the preliminary datum-lines; (c) capable of preserving for constant reference at a maximum number of points complete vertical sections until the last phase of the excavation; (d) capable, ultimately, of easy integration into a continuously exposed regional excavation; (e) readily accessible to all points for the removal of soil, without hindrance from intervening cuttings or traffic across excavated surfaces; (f) and sufficiently open to the sky to ensure the easy inspection of well-lighted sections at all required depths.”

He added that this layout can only be accomplished this would be a square and that the square would have all the six requirements that were mentioned above.When we look further ahead into this excavation method, we see that it has both its benefits and drawbacks. The benefits include giving the archaeologists a better organization method by digging in squares. They also gave us a good stratigraphic look into earth’s history and its relation to the archaeology. By letting us distinguish the various layers that are on top of each other we get a detailed history of the site being excavated. Just like it has its benefits, it also has its drawbacks. The drawbacks include size of the grid. Wheeler recommended that the sides should be in equal or greater length then the depth of the stratigraphy. He advocated for a minimum of 10 feet in length, however, many who use this method go with much smaller squares. By using squares smaller than the recommended sizing can show the shortcomings of the process.

Like stated, this technique can only be applied to sites that have identifiable layers. It also can’t be used on large scale excavations which can prevent any future archaeological excavations and studying from future archaeologists who are wanting to expand the field. This can also hide important walls, doorways, and can obstruct any earth movements and opportunities. They are also a hassle to move once the excavation is completed. An example of this method being used is with Kathleen Kenyon and her excavation in Jericho. She was asked by another archaeologist, Garstang, to review pottery that he had found in Jericho and she agreed. After reviewing it, she had come to the conclusion that based on the evidence from the walls of Joshua wasn’t compelling enough and conducted a small excavation there that would help change and clarify it. In 1952, she headed o Jericho to lead the excavation and when she arrived she discovered that the dates for the destruction to the site’s fortification was incorrect. He (Garstang) attributed the walls to the Late Bronze Age when it should’ve been attributed to the Early Bronze Age, approximately 2000 years earlier. When she came to do her work, she brought with her the Wheeler box-grid system which helped her clarify all the information. She no longer needed to expose complete buildings and instead concentrated on the stratigraphy to help her. With this method, she had a new insight to its formation process, construction patterns, and any building abandonment. Kenyon tuned this study of pottery and looked at complete and broken pieces of pottery. By doing so “she could distinguish the surface levels that ran up to the remains of the walls in question, as well as the broken pottery found in these levels” (Steiner) and came to the conclusion that it had been in fact attributed to the wrong time.