Why do archaeologists dig such tidy, square holes?
Digging square holes makes it easier to map the locations of artifacts accurately. Deeper artifacts are usually older than shallower ones and artifacts that are close together usually were used together. The straight sides of square holes also make it easier to see different soil layers and to recognize where soil has been disturbed. Careful digging makes it easier to notice marks or stains in the soil that may indicate the site of a trash pit or a building. Recording a dig thoroughly is important because you can’t go back to double-check your work. Once you have dug, that part of the site is destroyed. Archaeologists usually leave part of a site intact, so that others can learn from it in the future, when they may have better tools or different questions. Standardized recording techniques also make it easier to compare one site with another.
