Overton Down Experimental Earthwork (often referred to simply as Overton Down) is a long-term project in

experimental archaeology Experimental archaeology (also called experiment archaeology) is a field of study which attempts to generate and test archaeological Hypothesis, hypotheses, usually by replicating or approximating the feasibility of ancient cultures performing v ...

Wiltshire Wiltshire (; abbreviated to Wilts) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It borders Gloucestershire to the north, Oxfordshire to the north-east, Berkshire to the east, Hampshire to the south-east, Dorset to the south, and Somerset to ...

, England. In 1960 an earthwork was built to simulate such ancient structures. Various objects were placed in it. Since then, periodic examinations of the site have been made, providing valuable insights into

taphonomy Taphonomy is the study of how organisms decay and become fossilized or preserved in the paleontological record. The term ''taphonomy'' (from Greek language, Greek , 'burial' and , 'law') was introduced to paleontology in 1940 by Soviet scientis ...

. The experiment is designed to continue for 128 years. Reports on various aspects of the site have already added significantly to the knowledge of archaeological site formation. Early in the project's history, the complexity of stratification of degraded ditch walls and their asymmetrical character was noted and examined. The excavation after thirty-two years provided information on decay rates and patterns of deposited objects, which are of use to forensic scientists. Nonintrusive examination of the ditch has indicated that in this particular environment (exposed chalky hill), after about ten years the general appearance no longer makes rapid changes in appearance and can be considered relatively stable.

References

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