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Just started learning to spot different soil layers on digs
I joined a volunteer dig last month and picked up how to tell apart soil layers. It's cool to see how they show the site's history, but I often mix up the finer details. Any advice for a newbie on reading these layers right?
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oliviam107mo ago
During my anthro 101 field trip, the professor pointed out a layer of pure ASH from some old fire. I spent the whole afternoon trying to sketch it and my notes looked like a toddler drew them.
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noahmartin7mo ago
Hey just fyi ash layers are hardly ever pure, they usually have other stuff mixed in. Your professor probably meant it was mostly just ash.
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ivant517mo ago
Wonder if the pure ash layer you saw was right after it settled but before weather mixed it up. Even a small rain can wash fine stuff into the ash or blow other dust on top over time. Maybe your prof found a spot that was sealed off really fast, like under a fallen roof. What was the site's dirt like around that layer?
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