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Burnt layer

A burnt layer or burned layer in archaeology is a stratum of earth that was formed primarily by the burning of objects or buildings. The extent of the layer is irrelevant. It can be the remains of a campfire as well as the remains of a burned down settlement.

Last revised
Jul 23, 2026
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≈ 1 min
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Source
Krems-Wachtberg archaeological site. GH 25:
Very fine burnt layer, probably due to steppe fires source ↗

A burnt layer or burned layer in archaeology is a stratum of earth that was formed primarily by the burning of objects or buildings. The extent of the layer is irrelevant. It can be the remains of a campfire as well as the remains of a burned down settlement.

Burnt layers are recorded in event stratigraphy, a sub-area of stratigraphy.1

References

References

  1. Event stratigraphy at quaternary.stratigraphy.org. Retrieved 10 December 2021.