Dr. Michael Kolb, Strata Morph Geoexploration, Inc.
Soil and Stratigraphic Analysis of Core Data as a Tool in Archaeological Research
Sabin Hall, Room G90, 8:15pm

Archaeological investigations often need subsurface data to adequately interpret the archaeological record. Most of the minimally intrusive techniques used to “see” into the subsurface are geophysical in nature and focus on identifying archaeological phenomena (for example walls, features, or artifacts) and their patterning. Coring is used to analyze the soils and deposits that are the physical context of archaeological phenomena. It is indeed an understatement to say that physical and cultural contextual data is important for interpretation of archaeological deposits. It will be demonstrated, using case studies from the Aztalan site, the Metro East St. Louis site, and selected other sites, how coring can be used to rapidly establish a contextual soil-stratigraphic framework. (1) At a number of scales, (2) in a wide range of archaeological settings, and (3) in a number of modern urban and rural settings.