Doesn’t agriculture or silviculture destroy archaeological sites?
Both types of practices alter the locations of material remains and the cultural and environmental settings in which they are found. Common agricultural practices such as plowing and discing usually alter only the uppermost 12 to 18 inches of ground across a continuous surface. Silvicultural practices for preparing planting beds commonly alter up to 18 inches of ground in furrows six feet apart, with the soil from the furrow thrown onto the intervening six-foot width of ground. Depending on how deep the material remains and settings of a particular site extend, artifacts, features (pits, postholes, cellars, wells, etc.), plant and animal remains, and more can escape the effects of plowing or silviculture. In addition, studies conducted by archaeologist of material remains in plowed ground have shown that the material remains do not move far horizontally and that the patterns of artifact distribution apparent even after years of plowing can still be used to identify areas of a site wort
Related Questions
- I’ve heard that industry, agriculture and the military are still polluting water. Why doesn’t the government force them to stop discharging pollutants into water supplies?
- How are agriculture and silviculture operations defined under the Agriculture Water Quality Act?
- Doesn’t agriculture or silviculture destroy archaeological sites?
