Between Dirt and Discussion pp 141-150 | Cite as
Archaeology and the Ethics of Scientific Destruction
Abstract
When archaeological research includes excavation, it is axiomatic that archaeologists engage in the destruction of the very truths they seek to discover. The means of such destruction have long been contested, but it is generally accepted that the industry standard is the stratigraphic method, by which deposits are excavated (destroyed) in the reverse order to their creation. The central system for recording that scientific destruction is also the stratigraphic method, intensively developed in archaeology over the last few decades. This chapter briefly discusses the stratigraphic revolution in archaeological methods ushered in by the invention of the Harris Matrix in the 1970s. It highlights the vital introduction of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and computerized mapping. It concludes with a call for the introduction of detailed ethical standards for archaeological excavation and recording by professional archaeological organizations, such as the Society for Historical Archaeology, to name but one.
Key words
Archaeological documentation ethics GIS Harris Matrix single-surface recording stratigraphic method stratigraphyPreview
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