X-RADIOGRAPHY OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOIL AND SEDIMENT PROFILES

X-radiography is, surprisingly, not commonly used in the examination of archaeological soils and sediments. The technique is simple, rapid, inexpensive and non-destructive and provides a permanent record of the internal structure of core and monolith samples. It reveals structural and stratigraphic details that are invisible or unclear from ordinary visual inspection and photography. Features such as the nature of stratigraphic boundaries and their precise locations, signs of disturbance, mixing and redeposition and variations in sediment density may be highlighted. Apparently homogenous deposits may be shown to contain stratigraphic and structural information. The technique is therefore a very useful adjunct to any palaeoenvironmental analysis, helping to elucidate the depositional and post-depositional context of palaeoenvironmental samples, and helping to guide the initial choice of sub-sampling levels. © 1992.