Based on a drawing from Alexandria Archaeology Museum, City of Alexandria, Virginia

strata

When archaeologists uncover a site usually the material which is deeper is older. Generations of rubbish and rubble cause the ground to be like the layers found in sedimentary rock (strata). Thus the layer with which some object is associated gives a relative date - before this and after that. There is more explanation of this in the section on archaeology where "tells" are discussed.

This page is part of the Hypertext Bible Commentary - Amos,

© Tim Bulkeley, 1996-2005, Tim Bulkeley. All rights reserved.