Okuzeka
History vocabulary · Archaeology Basics

Posthole

Meaning in history, with examples

nounAdvanced term

In history, posthole means: A hole dug to hold a post, or the archaeological trace left by that hole and its fill.

In Turkish: direk çukuru

How it is used

A pattern of postholes can suggest a structure even when the wooden posts have decayed.

Example sentences

  1. A row of postholes marked the probable line of a timber wall.

    Spatial arrangement supports reconstruction of a vanished structure.

  2. The posthole cut through an earlier floor surface.

    A cut can establish that the post setting is later than the floor.

Common collocations

  • a row of postholes
  • posthole fill
  • excavationThe careful digging and recording of an archaeological site to uncover buildings, objects and other remains in the order in which they were buried.
  • stratigraphyThe study of the layers of soil and debris at a site, based on the principle that lower layers were usually laid down before the ones above them.

More terms: Archaeology Basics

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level: