The archaeology of earth

Abstract

In this article, the author takes a closer look at mounds built of earth. The point of departure is that there is more to earth than building material. To pinpoint the view: earth is probably the main material for an archaeologist, not the artefacts. How do archaeologists treat earth? How is earth recorded when excavating, for instance, mounds? If we focus on the possibilities we may ask: what is the element earth connected to or associated with? What does earth mean in different contexts? The author does not pretend to have the right answers, but believes it is necessary to pose some questions.