What type of archaeological excavation reveals stratification most effectively?

Vertical excavations are particularly effective at revealing stratification, which refers to the layers of soil and artifacts that accumulate over time at an archaeological site. This method involves digging downwards through the layers, allowing archaeologists to access the different strata that have formed over time. Each layer often corresponds to a different period of human activity, environment, or other changes, thereby providing insights into the chronological sequence of the site.

By examining the vertical profiles created through this type of excavation, researchers can understand how human behaviors, cultural practices, and environmental factors influenced the construction of layers. This vertical approach contrasts with horizontal excavations, which focus on uncovering a wider area of a single layer, often at the same depth across a large space. While horizontal excavations can reveal the relationships between artifacts within the same layer, they do not effectively display the stratification and chronological context that vertical excavations highlight.

Test pit excavations and area excavations also contribute valuable data but do not emphasize the vertical continuity of stratification to the same extent as vertical excavations do.