Evidence, Archaeology and Law: An Initial Exploration Roger M. Thomas
There are interesting parallels, hitherto little remarked on, between law and archaeology as intellectual processes. Both use evidence and inference to establish what happened in the past; both accept that the past is not knowable with absolute certainty. Some legal approaches and techniques, such as Wigmore’s ‘chart’ method, may be relevant in archaeology. This method has similarities to the Harris stratigraphic matrix, and may also offer pointers to how to publish excavations. The method may be applicable to larger historical questions as well as to primary archaeological evidence. The chart method promotes clarity and rigour in the use of evidence and inference, important both law and archaeology.
