Shadow Sites

Archaeological features will often cause changes in the lay of the land. This will be most pronounced in structures built above ground level, such as walls and earthen ramparts, or substantial ditches.

Features created by digging down into the ground, such as pits and ditches, can also cause changes in the lay of the land. When a ditch or pit is backfilled the earth is often of a looser constitution than the undisturbed ground around it. Over time the infill settles and depressions in the surface will occur.

When the sun is low in the sky (i.e. dawn, dusk, winter) shadows will be cast by the undulations caused by archaeological features in the ground. This can be aided by frost or snow which creates a uniform background colour upon which the shadows become more pronounced.

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