Abstract
Excavation within privies by arbitrary 10-cm (4 in.) levels is often a necessity because of time and space constraints. However, when archaeologists invest the extra effort to remove privy deposits by natural and cultural strata, they reap great benefits in terms of interpreting construction, use, and maintenance behaviors and in elucidating attitudes about hygiene and sanitation. This work outlines some of the advantages of reconstructing site formation processes (e.g., construction, use, maintenance, and abandonment) within privy shafts from sites in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The author offers recommendations on how to excavate individual deposits using both the profile and the single-layer plan of the Harris matrix and “side-access” excavation.
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