Cropmark Sites

The presence of buried archaeological features can have a pronounced effect on the plants growing above them. For example loose soil (e.g. backfill in old ditches or pits) may retain a greater amount of moisture than the surrounding ground, promoting healthy plant growth. Conversely stony ground (e.g. a buried wall or cobbled surface) may drain faster and provide fewer nutrients, resulting in stunted plant growth and premature withering.

If there is uniform plant coverage in an area any variations in growth will become more obvious. Cereal crops are particularly useful as not only is plant height effected, but also the time at which they ripen and consequently their colour. Variations in crops, weather conditions and the seasons will all have an effect on the emergence of cropmarks. For this reason some archaeological sites may only be occasionally revealed by cropmarks, whilst others can be revisited over the years to provide a cumulative record of the features of the site.

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