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Earthwork
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Earthworks can take the form of banks, ditches and mounds. They are usually created for a specific purpose. A bank, for example, might be the remains of a boundary between two or more fields. Some earthworks may be all that remains of a collapsed building, for example, the grassed-over remains of building foundations.
In the winter, when the sun is lower in the sky than during the other seasons, earthworks have larger shadows. From the air, archaeologists are able to see the patterns of the earthworks more easily. Earthworks can sometimes be confusing when viewed at ground level, but from above, the general plan is much clearer.
Archaeologists often carry out an aerial survey or an earthwork survey to help them understand the lumps and bumps they can see on the ground.
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YARD *
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A paved area, generally found at the back of a house.
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SITE *
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Unclassifiable site with minimal information. Specify site type wherever possible.
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FISHPOND *
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A pond used for the rearing, breeding, sorting and storing of fish.
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SETTLEMENT *
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A small concentration of dwellings.
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MILL *
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A factory used for processing raw materials. Use more specific mill type where known. See also TEXTILE MILL, for more narrow terms.
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MILL POND *
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The area of water retained above a mill dam for driving a mill.
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POND *
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A body of still water often artificially formed for a specific purpose. Use specifc type where known.
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CASTLE *
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A fortress and dwelling, usually medieval in origin, and often consisting of a keep, curtain wall and towers etc.
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STREAM *
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A natural flow or current of water issuing from a source.
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EARTHWORK *
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A bank or mound of earth used as a rampart or fortification.
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* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)
