Urban Archaeology

...define, record, remove...

Urban excavation factsheet 4

Plan Matrices

Plan matrices are a common cause for confusion on many archaeological sites. Put simply they are a tool used to simplify the process of creating the stratigraphic matrix, based on the evidence produced by planning the features within the 5m grid system. Urban archaeological sequences are often extremely complex, and we split sites into 5m grid squares to make life easier and the elucidation of the sequence more manageable. Each 5m grid square has its own plan matrix for contexts that are PLANNED within its limits. Other, unplanned contexts, e.g. most fills, or contexts that only appear in section, do not appear on the PLAN matrix, and these are added later. To ensure an accurate plan matrix, make sure all plans are clear and accurate, levels must be positioned accurately so that it is possible to tell whether layers overlap, and truncations must be marked correctly. Plan matrices should be compiled and updated as you excavate, however there will probably be a need for periodic checking and adding adjacent contexts. The following is one simple way of checking the plan matrix for your area of the excavation, check with your supervisor as to how the site is being checked. You should also check the context sheets at the same time:
? If you are working in more than one grid square you will need to consult and work with colleagues to

bring all the plans together. This is best done after the excavation has finished, or a single layer is reached across the site, but is normally done when it is raining, or demolition has stopped work
? Put all the context sheets into numerical order so they are easy to find the right sheet quickly.

Put all the plan sheets into piles for each grid square, again in numerical order within grid square to make it easy to find plans quickly
? Check that all levels are reduced and transferred to the relevant sheet of the plan

now create the plan matrix, grid square by grid square, by overlaying the plans and using the levels to work out the sequence of plans for that square alone. Write the plan matrix out on a piece of paper as well as in the plan matrix boxes on the plan sheet
? Once you have created the plan matrices for each plan square you can combine these to create the area or site plan matrix, but you will still need to add unplanned contexts.

? You can

The principles of the plan matrix are outlined in the MoLAS manual, however it is worth making a few additional points:
? The site is divided into 5m grid squares to make the job of recording the stratigraphy easier. For complicated strat this subdivision means that the site can be broken down into chunks that are not too complicated. As with all aspects of Single Context Recording it is designed to aid the excavator ? Plan matrices are designed to help with the recording of the stratigraphic sequence. They are a part of

the process of constructing the site strat matrix, not an end in themselves, BUT
? Plan matrices are the fundamental building blocks from which to construct the strat matrix

Chiz Harward, Urban Archaeology 2006, revised 2014

contact: chiz@urban-archaeology.co.uk

Urban Archaeology
...define, record, remove...

Urban excavation factsheet 4

Plan Matrices

? Plans must be clear and accurate, with sufficient levels to allow the relationships to be tested and

demonstrated
? The plan matrix only records planned contexts within that grid square. Unplanned contexts are not

included
? Where a plan runs into the next grid square by less than 20cm, it is still best to draw a new plan sheet for

the overlapping area, as otherwise you (or a colleague) may not realise that the context appears in the adjacent square when constructing the plan matrix, and may miss crucial relationships
? Multi-context plans can only be used when all the contexts on the MC plan (e.g. stakeholes) overlay and

underlie the same plans, therefore having the same plan matrix relationships. If the contexts underlie or overlay different plans, then they must be drawn on different plans Problems can be caused by superficial relationships between contexts, e.g. very small overlaps possibly caused by excavation or recording error, or uncertainty due to a lack of levels in relevant positions, or levels annotated in the wrong place. It is sometimes best to remove a relationship between two plans if you are not certain which is over which, but check with your supervisor and note changes on the context sheets. Any dating material may help establish the correct sequence later. Combining Plan Matrices to create a unified Plan Matrix can be time-consuming and there are computer packages available to make the task easier. Creating a Stratigraphic Matrix from Plan matrices is covered in the next Urban Archaeology Factsheet no 5.

Chiz Harward, Urban Archaeology 2007, revised 2014

contact: chiz@urban-archaeology.co.uk