I was sketching a trench profile and my professor asked why I never noted the soil color

I'd been drawing neat layers for two years but never wrote down the Munsell color codes. She pointed out that a slight orange tint in what I called 'brown clay' was the key to spotting a hearth feature. How do you guys keep from missing the small details when you're focused on the big picture?

4 comments

4 Comments

bettyh351mo ago

I used to think it was just dirt until I missed a big find.

stella_black331mo ago

You just made me check my own field notes.

colethomas1mo ago

My notes from last week are basically just "dirt, more dirt, rock maybe.

brooket431mo ago

Man, that's so true. I once spent a whole day mapping what I thought was just rubble fill. Turned out the subtle way the rocks were angled, not just their size, showed a collapsed wall line. Now I force myself to stop and just stare at the unit for five minutes before I write anything down.