The Importance of Plow Zone Archaeology

In the last 25 years, a number of studies have emerged demonstrating that, while vertical stratigraphy is indeed destroyed by plowing, the horizontal or spatial distribution of materials is affected only minimally. Artifacts recovered from plow zone contexts are usually found close to where they were both used and discarded, with important implications for examining the spatial layout of archaeological sites. Distributions of plow zone artifacts and soil chemicals have been used to identify room and building functions, activity areas, architectural features such as chimneys, doors, and windows, and changes in yard organization and use through time.