Work Description

Realm 2: Settlement Excavations*

These data relate to PASH’s excavations at three settlements: Kodër Boks, Zagorë, and Gajtan. There are three sub-collections, one for each site, organized by data type.

The excavations we conducted at Kodër Boks, Zagorë, and Gajtan were designed to gather as much data as possible, as quickly as possible. They were composed of test pits (“units,” i.e., sondages), primarily 1x1 m in size, occasionally larger, positioned based on the results of field surveys and systematic surface collections of
artifacts, but also with reference to prior excavations (at Zagorë and Gajtan) and geophysical data (collected at Gajtan). Excavations followed natural stratigraphy where possible; when such strata were not present, we excavated in 10-cm arbitrary levels. Artifact provenience was recorded down to levels and features, with important in situ artifacts sometimes being mapped into level/feature drawings along x-y-z axes. When identified, archaeological features (e.g., pits, floors, walls, etc.) were excavated separately from levels. Excavators organized forms and accompanying journal entries by “level” and “feature” for each unit. Each level and feature was drawn and photographed. Artifacts were bagged together by level and type. Radiocarbon samples were wrapped in tin foil and bagged separately. Soil samples were taken from each level using the “pinch” method. Upon completion, a profile wall of each unit was photographed, and, in some cases, drawn. Artifacts (with the exception of metal) were washed in water, dried on racks in the sun, and sorted and labeled in the PASH field laboratory. They were analyzed in preliminary fashion first in the field by PASH staff and later by experts.

Each of the three sub-collections includes some or all of the following datasets:

Site documentation: PDFs of scans of miscellaneous documents related to a particular excavation, including, e.g., excavation forms, maps of units, and drawings of units and unit profiles.

Excavation photos and photolog – Photos of each level in each unit, and of features. Photos are labeled with the site number, date taken, and a ID number, e.g., S015-05262014-001 = the first photo taken on May 25, 2014 during the excavation of Zagorë. Photolog files are .CSV exports from Excel. The photolog lists each photo taken of a site during excavation in order by photo number (site number, date taken, ID number), with a description.

Radiocarbon dates (Zagorë and Gajtan only) – PDFs of Accelerator Mass Spectroscopy (AMS) radiocarbon reports, including calibration curves. AMS samples were analyzed by Beta Analytic, Inc. Reports include sample type (e.g., charcoal, bone, sediment), date, date calibrated, standard deviation, etc.

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) data (Gajtan only) – Raw geophysical data from GPR surveys at Gajtan, reported at multiple depth slices. GPR data were acquired at Gajtan using a pulseEKKO Pro 100 (Sensors and Software, Inc.) with 200 MHz antennas, 0.5 m antenna separation, and a 0.1 m trace spacing, creating an 8x19 m grid. CSV file, exported from Excel.

Excavation database. This is a .CSV file exported from the original FileMaker database. The database for each site includes level and feature forms for each excavated unit. These forms describe each level or feature in detail, including soil color and texture, soil inclusions, artifact density, disturbances, pertinent measurements, etc.

Excavation database data dictionary:
Site/unit/level – site/unit/level numbers, in the form, e.g., S011-01T-001 = Site 011 (Gajtan), Unit 1, Level 1
Date excavated – date on which the unit/level was excavated
Supervisor – individual who supervised excavation of the unit
Excavators – individuals who excavated the unit
Recorder – individual who entered the data into the database
Number of photos – number of photos taken of the level
Artifact density – rough estimate of the number of artifacts found in a level; light, dense, medium
Unit type – short description of the unit/level matrix, e.g., fill, midden, debris
Description – description of the level, including depth below surface
Relationship – how does the described level compare to other levels, both in the unit and elsewhere at the site?
Disturbances – damage done to the level, and how, e.g., by rodents, roots, insects
Flotation – description of soil sample taken from level for flotation
Soil texture – silty, loam, clay, etc.
Variation – in the composition of the level
Interpretation – how was the unit created? For example, as a dumping episode, due to wall fall, as a walking surface, etc.
Munsell – soil color based on Munsell soil color guide
Over – which level is this level over?
Same as – is this level the same as another one, and if so, how?
Inclusions – are there any inclusions in the level matric, e.g., rocks, gravel, sand?
Under – which level is this level under?
Cuts – if the level described cuts another level, which is it?
Cut by – is this level cut by another level or feature?

*(Note that the realm-level information is also included in the “Documentation for the PASH Collection” record attached to the overall PASH collection record: https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/data/concern/data_sets/6t053g548. Subcollection- and file-level information is included only in this document.)