pitting
n. C1 Advanced US //ˈpɪtɪŋ// UK //pˈɪtɪŋ// pit·ting
n. the process of digging or removing soil and rock from an area to find things like bones, tools, or buildings. It is a common way for archaeologists to study the past.
n. the systematic excavation of a site to recover archaeological remains such as artifacts, structures, or human remains. Often involves the removal of soil layers to reveal stratified deposits.
The archaeologists spent months on the pitting of the ancient village.
Careful pitting of the site revealed several stone foundations that had been buried for centuries.
The initial phase of the project focused on surface pitting to identify potential burial mounds before the team began the more invasive trenching required for full excavation.