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An object's location is part of its story
Archaeological context links a find to its position and associated material.
The idea
An object removed without recording its surroundings loses evidence about use, date and relationships.
An example
A coin found in a documented floor layer says more than a coin with no recorded origin.
Put it into practice
Ask where a find came from, not only what it is.
Further reading: U.S. National Park Service ↗
Test yourself: What adds important meaning to an artefact?
Its recorded location and associations
Context connects an object to the wider evidence of a site.
Explanation and illustrative examples by One Card Wiser. Source linked for further reading.
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