There is a growing concern over the lack of adequate interpretation in reports on the excavation of historic sites, particularly on contract projects. This paper points out the importance of interpretation as an integral part of archaeological research. As a possible aid in securing better reports, interpretation, beyond simple identification, is divided into three levels, each calling for some degree of personal judgment, ranging from immediate inferences to broad generalizations. Examples of recent archaeological reports illustrating different levels of interpretation are described, and ways of securing more adequate interpretation are discussed, with special reference to contract archaeology.
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