The data structures used for the Context and Object records by the LRC have changed little since the mid 1980s, with the exception that many fields initially recorded in code on the tiny capacity handheld computers available at the time are now stored in text fields in Access. Some of the text fields are fixed length fields, required for sorting and plotting purposes, the remainder are effectively variable length fields; the field lengths in the object record represent the used lengths. There are a number of legacy fields which have been superseded in the object record. The original fields remain as originally set rather than being re-cast into the fields now used. The structures have not been manipulated to reduce storage space so, for instance, all material culture, human bone, faunal and other environmental evidence are catered for within a single structure designed to facilitate analysis across all aspects of the finds assemblage. The KEY_ID is represented in all components of the full digital record (Contexts, Objects, Drawings and Stratigraphic Matrices). The FROMDRAW field provides the link for those contexts not planned, i.e. individual layers in a pit, to the digital plans so that plans can be generated using SQL queries of either or both of these primary tables.
| LRC Context Record Structure | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Field Name | Type | Size | Property |
| Categories | Text | 64 | Palm Data Management Field |
| KEY_ID | Text | 12 | Principal Link Field combining Site+Area+Context |
| MASTER | Text | 12 | Reference to Master Context to which this context belongs |
| FROMDRAW | Text | 12 | Reference to Drawn Object in Digital Drawing of which this context is part |
| SITE | Text | 3 | 3 digit Site No. |
| AREA | Text | 2 | 2 character Area Code |
| CONTEXT | Text | 5 | 5 Digit zero filled Context Number |
| PERIOD | Text | 32 | Archaeological Period |
| PHASE | Text | 32 | Interpreted Phase |
| TYPE | Text | 32 | Feature Type |
| SHAPE | Text | 32 | Plan-form |
| XCOORD | Long Integer | Easting in cm | |
| YCOORD | Long Integer | Northing in cm | |
| ZCOORD | Long Integer | Elevation AOD in cm | |
| LENGTH | Long Integer | Length in cm | |
| BREADTH | Long Integer | Breadth/width in cm | |
| DEPTH | Long Integer | Depth of Context in cm | |
| PROFILE | Text | 32 | Surface Profile of Context or profile of Cut if a cut feature |
| SOILTYPE | Text | 32 | Soil Type |
| SOIL_TEXTR | Text | 32 | Soil Texture |
| MUNSELL | Text | 12 | Munsell Colour without /s i.e. 10YR44 |
| FILLOF_ABO | Text | 5 | Deposit is Fill of or Overlies |
| SEALED_BY | Text | 5 | Deposit is sealed by |
| CUTS_INTO | Text | 5 | Feature cuts into |
| PRIM_FILL_ | Text | 5 | Primary fill of Cut Feature |
| STRAT1 | Text | 6 | Stratigraphic relationship with +,-, or / for is above, beneath, or contiguous with |
| STRAT2 | Text | 6 | Stratigraphic relationship with +,-, or / for is above, beneath, or contiguous with |
| STRAT3 | Text | 6 | Stratigraphic relationship with +,-, or / for is above, beneath, or contiguous with |
| STRAT4 | Text | 6 | Stratigraphic relationship with +,-, or / for is above, beneath, or contiguous with |
| STRAT5 | Text | 6 | Stratigraphic relationship with +,-, or / for is above, beneath, or contiguous with |
| STRAT6 | Text | 6 | Stratigraphic relationship with +,-, or / for is above, beneath, or contiguous with |
| STRAT7 | Text | 6 | Stratigraphic relationship with +,-, or / for is above, beneath, or contiguous with |
| NOTES | Memo | - | Free Text Description of Context, amplifying descriptive fields with Interpretation |
| ALIGNMENT | Text | 32 | Alignment of body (burials only) |
| POSITION | Text | 32 | Position of body (burials only) |
| AGE | Text | 32 | Estimated age at death (burials only) |
| M_PLAN | Yes/No | Shown on Master Plan 1:20 or above | |
| D_PLAN | Yes/No | Has Detail plan <1:20 | |
| SECTION | Yes/No | Shown on Section Drawing | |
| C_PHOTO | Yes/No | Has Colour Photograph(s) | |
| M_PHOTO | Yes/No | Has Monochrome Photograph(s) | |
| VIDEO | Yes/No | Is recorded by Video | |
| POTTERY | Yes/No | Context Includes Pottery | |
| AN_OS | Yes/No | Context Includes Animal Bone | |
| HUM_OS | Yes/No | Context Includes Human Bone | |
| OBJECTS | Yes/No | Context Includes other classes of Object | |
| BUILD_DEB | Yes/No | Context Includes Building Debris | |
| OTHER | Yes/No | Context includes other material/samples not identified elsewhere (amplified in Notes) | |
| C_14 | Yes/No | Sample taken for C14 | |
| SEED | Yes/No | Sample taken for Plant Remains | |
| POLLEN | Yes/No | Sample taken for Pollen | |
| SNAIL | Yes/No | Sample taken for Snails | |
| ORGANIC | Yes/No | Sample taken for general Organic materials, i.e. peat | |
| CONT | Yes/No | Has further continuation text in notebook but not in database | |
| QUALITY | Text | 32 | Quality of deposit, i.e. well sealed or disturbed |
| METHOD | Text | 32 | Method of Excavation, i.e Trowel, Shovel, Machine clearance |
| REC_BY | Text | 3 | Recorded by, Initials |
| COMPLETED | Yes/No | 1 | Confirmation that recording is complete |
| DATE | Date/Tim | Date of Record Creation | |
| VOLUME | Double | Volume of deposit as appropriate | |
| RECORD | Long Integer | Record No. Access auto number field used for sorting into data collection sequence | |
| URL TO WEB_CD | Memo | - | URL to WEB-CD Archive maintained in HTML |
| FOR CALC | Double | Numeric field maintained for storing results of analytical calculations | |
| LRC Object Record Structure | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Type | Size | Property |
| KEY_ID | Text | 12 | Link Field to Context Record |
| OBJECT | Text | 12 | Full Object Code comprising Site, Area, Context, Object Code |
| SITE | Text | 3 | 3 Digit Site No. |
| AREA | Text | 2 | 2 Character Area Code |
| CONTEXT | Text | 5 | Zero Filled 5 Digit Context Number |
| OBCODE | Text | 2 | 2 Character Object Code |
| MATERIAL | Text | 20 | Object Material, i.e. Pottery, Worked Bone etc. |
| TYPE | Text | 20 | Object Type, i.e. Brooch |
| SUB_TYPE | Text | 20 | Object Sub-type, i.e. Cruciform |
| CLASS | Text | 17 | Classification i.e. Salin Style III |
| NUMBER_OF | Double | 8 | Number of Objects (usually 1 but could be many) |
| XCOORD | Text | 8 | Easting in cm |
| YCOORD | Text | 8 | Northing in cm |
| ZCOORD | Text | 6 | Elevation in cm |
| TAGNUMBER | Text | 6 | Tag no. issued in field to provide link to Co-Ordinates in Total Station Data |
| GRIDMETHOD | Yes/No | 1 | Grid reference is true 3-D or calculated from Drawn record or Random within a Grid if not individually recorded in the field |
| CTXT_XY | Text | 1 | Coordinates drawn from context location |
| RND_XY | Text | 1 | Coordinates generated by randomly distributing point within defined drawn feature outline designed to facilitate point plotting of bulk recorded finds |
| KEYTAG_ID | Text | 11 | Combination of KeyID and Tag no. used for sorting and checking |
| FROMDRAW | Text | 10 | Link Field to Context Drawn Plan |
| SAMEAS | Text | 70 | Item joins another, or others identified by full Object Code For plotting joins |
| PART_OF | Text | 12 | Item is part of another but does not join it, identified by full Object Code |
| ELEMENT | Text | 57 | Element, i.e. Point, Foot, Rim etc. |
| CONDITION | Text | 17 | Condition, i.e Good, Needs Attention etc. |
| ALTERATION | Text | 37 | Alteration, i.e. Burnt |
| LENGTH | Text | 5 | Length of object (mm) |
| WIDTH_RIMD | Text | 5 | Width of object or Rim Diameter if measurable (mm) |
| THICKNESS | Text | 5 | Thickness of object (mm) |
| WALLTHICK | Text | 13 | Wall Thickness of Sherds (mm) |
| WEIGHT | Double | 8 | Weight in grams |
| CHECKED | Text | 2 | Record checked |
| MAN_TECH | Text | 27 | Manufacturing technique |
| DEC_TECH | Text | 23 | Decorative techniques |
| MOTIF1 | Text | 21 | Primary Decorative Motif |
| MOTIF2 | Text | 15 | Secondary Decorative Motif |
| FINISH | Text | 28 | Surface finish |
| DEC_COLOR | Text | 15 | Decorative colour |
| FABRIC | Text | 20 | Fabric identifier |
| INC1 | Text | 15 | Fabric inclusions in order of frequency |
| INC2 | Text | 15 | "" |
| INC3 | Text | 15 | "" |
| INC4 | Text | 15 | "" |
| EVE | Double | 8 | Estimated Vessel Equivalent |
| BASE_DIAM | Text | 5 | Base diameter |
| BASE_EVE | Double | 8 | Base estimated vessel equivalent |
| FIRING | Text | 12 | Ceramics Method of Firing |
| FORM | Text | 20 | Ceramic Form |
| RT | Text | 1 | Legacy field used in phasing |
| LABNO | Text | 6 | English Heritage Laboratory Number if issued |
| PERIOD1 | Text | 40 | Broad Period Name Earlier one of 2 giving a range if required |
| PERIOD2 | Text | 15 | Broad Period Name Latest one of 2 giving a range if required |
| DATE_LOW | Double | 8 | Date Earliest in Years for range |
| DATE_HIGH | Double | 8 | Date Latest in Years for Range |
| PHASE | Text | 50 | Phase Name if assigned |
| COMMENTS | Memo | - | Free Text Notes field for additional information |
| STATUS | Text | 10 | Field to indicate work in progress such as conservation |
| CONT | Yes/No | 1 | Field to note additional information on paper record |
| RECBY | Text | 3 | Recorded by |
| DATE | Text | 10 | Legacy Date of record |
| FINISHED | Yes/No | 1 | Record complete Y/N |
| IS_DRAWN | Yes/No | 1 | Object Drawn Y/N |
| REC_No. | Double | 10 | Record no. generated by Access, use to sort data into entry order |
| ENT_DATE | Date | 8 | Date of record entry |
| ENT_BY | Text | 9 | Record entered by, initials |
| YEAR | Double | 8 | Legacy field year excavated |
| SF_NUM | Text | 12 | Legacy field small find no. |
| CORTEX | Text | 42 | Lithics cortex presence/position |
| ANGLE | Text | 8 | Lithics strike angle |
| BUTT | Text | 27 | Lithics butt type |
| B_L | Text | 8 | Lithics breadth to length ratio |
| CORE | Text | 11 | Core size ratio |
| CATALOGUE ENTRY | Memo | - | Text entry from published catalogue |
| DEPTH_BELOW | Long Integer | 4 | Generated by subtracting elevation form context surface model to examine depth beneath surface |
© Internet Archaeology/Author(s)
URL: http://intarch.ac.uk/journal/issue27/2/appendix3.html
Last updated: Wed Nov 11 2009