Hammer (2002, Section 3.5) probably offers the best overview of the mechanical production of classic DUA MoLA style land use diagrams. As noted above she also suggests that they may not be necessary on less complex sites consisting of only one trench, where groups and land use codes can be coded together as part of one interpretative level. However, projects with large multi-trench sites with long stratigraphic sequences may prefer to establish group sequences for each trench separately and then link across excavation areas applying land use codes as a separate step. However, it should be noted that it is vitally important for any project that the methodology used is clearly articulated, together with definitions for the terminology. The following section draws upon Hammer’s approach but seeks to update and optimise the method for the construction of land use as a diagrammatic or as a narrative tool.
Stratigraphic Grouping and Land Use
The process begins with the grouping of the stratigraphic sequence, where multiple groups can correspond to a single type of land use. The creation of group sequence diagrams for all areas under analysis should follow this process incorporating their suggested group date ranges. These diagrams are especially valuable as they allow for visual cross-referencing across different layers and areas of the site.
The MOLA-Headland Guidance for A14 Stratigraphic Analysis (MOLA Headland Infrastructure 2020) states:
“Where features form part of more than one land-use, you must decide the primary function / land-use […]. If it does have more than one function, this can be discussed in the text“.
Central to the process is group discussion and the compilation of summaries, perhaps supported by groups plans, to establish a clear holistic understanding of the data. These discussions should be inclusive, incorporating various viewpoints to create a comprehensive understanding of the stratigraphic data. Additionally, integrating specialist reports or database lists that provide evidence of dating, small finds, and samples can greatly enhance the detail and depth of analysis.
Defining and Coding Land Use Types
The next step involves linking these groups into specific types of land use, starting from the bottom of each sequence. It is useful for the process to begin by following the longest strand of group sequences while integrating shorter strands, structures and grouped features are essentially combined into buildings and open areas and broadly contemporary land use events (see list in resources below). For efficient referencing, each land use type should be assigned a unique, project-wide code, adhering to a standardised coding system defined by the overarching project or organisation. This code should be used for cross-referencing plans, databases, the land use diagram, and the report. Hammer (2002, Section 3.5) suggests that ‘Open Areas; demand special attention due to their varying nature. These are often defined by a stratigraphic soil horizon or surface, containing various features of use. That said, an open area can continue with numerous new soil horizons over several centuries without necessitating a new code allocation. The allocated code need only change if the open area changes its function (e.g. from farming to quarrying) or else stops being an open area altogether. Hammer (ibid.) also suggests that each type of land use may also have its own ‘processual’ interpretation, summarising the processes of groups within a land use item, providing valuable insights into the use of different spaces over time.
The Forum on Information Standards in Heritage (FISH) has established a list of standardized vocabularies including the ‘FISH Thesaurus of Monument Types’ that is incorporated in national and regional Historic Environment Records, is used for indexing site types in OASIS records and archives of investigations, and has been used for describing settlement and landscape scale archaeological features on several major infrastructure projects.
Example Terminology: Land Use List
See below for an example list of land use categories from A14 Guidance for Stratigraphic Analysis.
| Land Use Term | Prefix | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Cemetery | C | Spatial grouping of more than 3 burials and any burial-related features (e.g. pyre-sites) |
| Field-system | F | Arrangement of ditches away from the core settlement that appear to be for agricultural or pastoral use (can include areas of bedding trenches) |
| Enclosure | E | Arrangement of ditches and/or fence-lines definitely forming an enclosure, typically within or in proximity to the core settlement. Note that enclosures may be sub-divided but the sub-enclosures do not need individual land use numbers in Oracle |
| Linear boundary | LB | A major linear ditch alignment that is a defining element of the settlement or landscape and not exclusively part of an enclosure or singular field system. NB Do not use term boundary for smaller sections of ditch whichcan be left as ditch group numbers (e.g. Ditch group 14.6) |
| Road/trackway | R | Linear feature defined by parallel ditches or a defined routeway (Holloway, metalled surface etc.) designed for movement of traffic. |
| Monument | M | A feature such as a henge, ring-ditch etc. that may be quite long-lasting (i.e. in use over more than one period/sub-period) |
| Palaeochannel | P | A relict stream or river channel marks the old course of a stream. A network of interconnecting palaeochannels would form one palaeochannel ‘land use’. |