The Harris Matrix and its digital visualisation in rescue excavations in Lower Austria and Vienna

Paul MITCHELL / Oliver RACHBAUER

(Vienna, Austria)

This talk reports about the use of the Harris Matrix on large rescue excavations and the experiences made with the digital visualisation of the Matrix. From relatively small beginnings in 2003/2004, a series of large scale urban rescue excavations has taken place in Vienna, Tulln and Mautern, all involving thousands of, and in one case nearly 9000, stratigraphic units. These excavations were carried out by the organization Archäologie Service on behalf of the Archaeological Department of the Federal Department of Monuments and included the single layer excavation method and the digital documentation of all contexts through TachyCAD or ArchCAD. The Harris Matrix was compiled on paper parallel to the excavations and in most, but not all, cases first visualised digitally afterwards. After initial use of ArchEd, a switch was made to Stratify, including in one case its use in post-excavation analysis. The speakers were among the many people involved in this process and their report will concentrate on the experiences made, the lessons learned and the questions raised.

Keywords: Harris Matrix, matrix software, praxis report