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SITE REPORTS
A site report consists of four basic parts: (I) Site documentation - maps, photos, data & observations (II) Analysis / Discussion (III) Conclusions (IV) Bibliography. This site report outline provides greater detail as to what should be included in each section. Please consult A Handbook of Stone Structures in Northeastern U.S. for the name of structure designs, how to identify spirits, how to identify who built a specific type of structure, etc. The analysis portion of the report is based upon pattern analysis approach. It largely involves grouping and regrouping the structures by different characteristics. It is essentially a sorting type process. It should be noted that there are other ways to sort the data beyond the ones mentioned in this outline. This analysis process is useful to decipher a site.
NOTE: This site report outline is geared towards cairn sites
(I) Documentation
NOTE: With reports which are being made public either through a published article or website, careful consideration should be given as to whether location information including GPS readings are included. In some cases it is necessary to restrict location information to the name of the town and state it is located in.
Map of site:
(a) Rough field sketch showing stone walls and sections with natural features like streams, hills, wetlands, etc.
(b) Scaled map (can be section by section if a large site), use either GPS readings and computer generated map or degree headings and distances, by hand drawing (scale: 1 inch equals 40 feet breaks down to Ό = 10, ½ = 20, Ύ = 30, 1 = 40 or use your own ratio) include all structures
(c) In lieu of scaled map list degrees and distances and/or GPS readings for every structure
Master List: Arrange by Sections (See the Handbook for how to separate a site into sections A B C etc)
(a) Number, Design
(b) Photographs
(c) Drawing when necessary
(d) Measurements
(e) Special features within the structure
(f) Orientation where applicable
(II) Analysis & Discussion
Preliminary Organization
(a) Number of each basic cairn design with number of sub-designs listed, for each group and/or section.
(b) Number of each structure by design (other than cairns) for each group and/or section.
Ratios
(a) Number per section of:
On Ground
Associated with a boulder
Split Stone
Features
(a) List Man-Made Features: Niches, standing stones, prominent quartz, etc.
(b) List Natural Features: Ex-large boulders, spring of water, stream or river, wetlands, etc.
Discussion of Features
Discussion of Specific Structures
Comparison of Structures within Groups and Sections
(a) Comparisons within each group:
- Number of different cairn designs
- Differences if any, among the same designs
- Cairns with special designs
- Compare split stone cairns with each other
- Evaluate On Top Trailing to Ground verses Attached, at some sites there is no clear delineation between the two designs
- Structures other than cairns
- Like-structures other than cairns: Do any form pairs? Are the designs the same or different?
- Combinations of different structures (example: cairn and enclosure)
(b) Differences between groups
(c) Similarities between groups
(d) Differences between sections
(e) Similarities between sections
Layout of each section
(a) Location: Interior of site; along edge of site; separated from main site; north, west, south, east
(b) Location of cairns by design
Interpretation (Sections are individually interpreted and then combined with other sections to see the whole picture )
(a) Spirits identifications are derived from cairn designs, chambers, alignments, petroglyphs, natural features
(b) Evaluate cairns by size to interpret who built the cairns
(c) Evaluate structures other than cairns and interpret
(d) Access structures associated with each other
(III) Conclusions
Draw any conclusions based upon the analysis and discussion
(IV) Bibliography
Cite sources and references, if used
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