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

Taylor Anderson · 2026-03-13T07:05:06.740276+00:00

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?

bettyh356mo ago

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

5

stella_black336mo ago

You just made me check my own field notes.

3

colethomas6mo ago

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

6

brooket436mo 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.

2