Archaeologists tend to regard plow zones of sites as having minimal importance for interpretive purposes. The present study describes three prehistoric sites in Massachusetts at which plow zone data—particularly in the lower 5 cm—can be shown to have predicted reliably the undisturbed subsoil contexts beneath. A hypothesis is offered as to what conditions allow maximum predictability of primary contexts from plow zones. It is suggested that archaeologists carefully consider the plowing history of the sites they test, since certain types of plowing will result in less extreme dispersal of subsoil-derived cultural materials. This has obvious implications for cultural resource management studies, as well as for pure research.
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