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Calcimator

Burial Depth Estimator

Estimate expected artifact burial depth from site age, depositional rate, and geomorphological context.

Inputs

years
cm/century
cm/century
ft

Results

Predicted Depth

1.17 m

≈ 8 smartphones

Integrity Assessment

Likely intact (deep burial)

Accumulated Sediment0.8 m
Depth Range (low)0.94 m
Depth Range (high)1.4 m
In Plow Zone?No
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Enter Site Age, Deposition Rate, and Erosion Rate.
  2. Set Original Surface Depth, Geomorphic Context, and Alluvial (floodplain).
  3. Adjust Colluvial (slope), Aeolian (wind-deposited) as needed.
  4. Review Predicted Depth (m) and Integrity Assessment.
  5. Use Accumulated Sediment and Depth Range (low) (m) to inform your decision.

How the result changes with Deposition Rate

Deposition RatePredicted DepthIntegrity Assessment
51.17 mLikely intact (deep burial)
184.55 mLikely intact (deep burial)
338.45 mLikely intact (deep burial)
4511.57 mLikely intact (deep burial)

What each input means

Site Age
Estimated age of the cultural deposit.
Deposition Rate
Average sediment accumulation rate.
Erosion Rate
Average erosion or deflation rate.
Original Surface Depth
Depth of original ground surface features.
Geomorphic Context
Landscape position affects burial rate.
Agricultural History
Has the area been plowed or cultivated?

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    4 parameters
    Site Age = 2000, Deposition Rate = 5, Erosion Rate = 1, Original Surface Depth = 0.1 = 6 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Predicted Depth
    Predicted Depth
    1.17 = 1.17
  3. Calculate Integrity Assessment
    Likely intact (deep burial) = Likely intact (deep burial)
  4. Calculate Accumulated Sediment
    Accumulated Sediment
    0.8 = 0.8
  5. Calculate Depth Range
    Depth Range
    0.936 = 0.936

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