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Comparative Archaeology Database, University of Pittsburgh
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Pedregal Dataset |
The data files CONTEXTS.TXT and CONTEXTS.XLS provide details about each excavation context recorded at the Pedregal site, including the unit or feature it belongs to, as well as its volume and additional details. Context numbers are the main key linking the artifact inventories provided in other pages of this dataset to their provenience. CONTEXTS.TXT is an ASCII text file, and CONTEXTS.XLS contains the same data in the form of an Excel spreadsheet. Each line represents one context. There are 656 lines in the text file, each with 10 variables separated by commas. The variables are, in the following order:
1 |
Context. The number assigned to each distinct excavation context |
2 |
Sector. Designates the sector of the site (A-E) |
3 |
Area. Designates specific areas within each sector |
4 |
Unit. Designates excavation unit (1-6) or test pit (PP1-33) |
5 |
Feature. Designates discrete features (hearths, postholes, storage pits, etc) within units. |
6 |
Level. For non-feature contexts, designates the natural level beginning with the surface (00). For feature contexts, designates the natural level within the feature. |
7 |
Volume (L). The volume in liters of each context, measured in the field. |
8 |
Context code. This variable identifies the type of context (1-11 for non-feature contexts, 20-24 for feature contexts). Level contexts: 1-superficial 2-wall fall post-abandonment 3-floor 4-between floor fill, high cultural content 5-between floor fill, clean 6-sterile 7-maize fill 8-construction fill 9-adobe 10-burnt area 11-use surface Feature contexts: 20-recinto 21-posthole 22-burnt area 23-hoyo con relleno 24-cut into sterile 25-linear feature/quincha 26-textile 27-vessel/ceramica 28-banqueta/construction 29-looter's pit/disturbed 30-hoyo with relleno-ceniza or fairly clean 31-hoyo with relleno-ceniza and basura mixed 32-ofrenda spondylus 33-fogon/burnt offering 34-deposicion de basura 999 = missing data. |
9 |
Association. This variable was assigned only to contexts in excavation units, not test pits. It assigns each context to either surface, fill, or a specific floor (Piso 1, 2, etc). |
10 |
Occupation. This variable was assigned only to contexts in excavation units, not test pits. A= surface, windblown sediment and detritus from looting B= wall fall/abandonment C= stratigraphy associated with surface walls, below wall fall (Late LIP) D= stratigraphy below/predating surface walls (Early LIP) F=unknown |
The first line of the ASCII text file, for example, looks like this:
1,A,4,3,0,00,0,1,surface,A
This indicates that context 1 was located in Sector A, Area 4, Unit 3, no feature, Level 00, volume 0L (not excavated), context=surface, association=surface, occupation code=A
The last, or 656th, line of the ASCII text file is:
669,A,2,PP33,O,1,10,21,,
This indicates that context 669 was located in Sector A, Area 2, test pit PP33, Feature O, Level 1 of the feature, volume=10L, context code=21. Since this context is in a test pit, not an excavation unit, it was not assigned a code for variables association and occupation.
Download the file CONTEXTS.TXT (18 KB) or the file CONTEXTS.XLS (119 KB).