Editing Archaeological excavation (section)

==Methods==
[[File:Kilwinning Abbey Dig 2011 part 2.webm|thumb|[[Kilwinning Abbey]] Dig]]

Excavation initially involves the removal of any [[topsoil]]. A strategy for sampling the contexts and features is formulated which may involve total excavation of each feature or only portions. 

===Stratigraphic excavation===

In stratigraphic excavation, the goal is to remove some or, preferably, all archaeological deposits and features in the reverse order they were created and construct a [[Harris matrix]] as a chronological record or "sequence" of the site.<ref name=":2" /> This Harris matrix is used for interpretation and combining contexts into ever larger units of understanding. This stratigraphic removal of the site is crucial for understanding the chronology of events on site.

Stratigraphic excavation involves a process of cleaning or "troweling back" the surface of the site and isolating contexts and edges which are definable as either:
# Discrete, discernible "edges" that are formed by being completely separated from the surrounding surface and therefore stratigraphically later than its surroundings 
# Discrete, discernible "edges" (as in 1.) and have boundaries dictated by the limit of excavation<ref>{{Cite web|title=Stratigraphic Excavation|url=http://www.archaeologyskills.co.uk/stratigraphic-excavation/184/|access-date=2020-07-31|website=Archaeology Skills Passport|date=14 June 2014|language=en-US}}</ref>
Following this preliminary process of defining the context, it is then recorded and removed.
Often, owing to practical considerations or error, the process of defining the edges of contexts is not followed and contexts are removed out of sequence and un-stratigraphically. This is called "digging out of phase". It is not good practice.
After removing a context or if practical a set of contexts such as the case would be for features, the "isolate and dig" procedure is repeated until no man made remains are left on site and the site is reduced to [[Archaeological natural|natural]].

===Strip, map and sample===
"Strip, map and sample" is a method of excavation applied in the United Kingdom to preserve archaeological remains by record in the face of development threats. It involves machine stripping an area, plotting observed features onto a [[Archaeological plan|site plan]], and then partially excavating those features ([[Sampling (statistics)|sampling]]).{{citation needed|date=November 2024}} The approach is undertaken when a site is to be destroyed by development and no satisfactory method of preserving archaeological remains ''in situ'' can be devised or adequate funding and time have not been factored into development project planning to allow for a full archaeological investigation.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}}