Which type of excavation is most effective for understanding the arrangement of archaeological features?

Horizontal excavations are the most effective for understanding the arrangement of archaeological features because they focus on uncovering large areas of a site at once, allowing for a more comprehensive view of spatial relationships between features, structures, and artifacts. This method enables archaeologists to map the distribution of items and ascertain how various elements interact within a specific context.

By removing layers of soil across a broader area, horizontal excavations can reveal the layout and organization of multiple features simultaneously, such as buildings, pathways, or storage areas. This spatial analysis can lead to insights about the behaviors, practices, and social structures of past societies.

In contrast, vertical excavations primarily seek to uncover stratigraphy and chronological sequences over time, which may not provide as clear a picture of how features relate to one another spatially. Shallow trench excavations and test pit excavations are typically more limited in scope and do not offer the same breadth of information regarding feature arrangement.