for the construction of wall 2, context 5, has cut through layers 9 and 10, and in doing so has introduced the possibility that artifacts from layers 9 and 10 may be redeposited higher up the sequence in the context representing the backfill of the construction cut, context 3. These artifacts are referred to as "residual" or "residual finds". It is crucial that dating a context is based on the latest dating evidence drawn from the context. We can also see that if the fill of cut 5 – the wall 2, backfill 3 and trample 12 — are not removed entirely during excavation because of "undercutting", non-residual artifacts from these later "higher" contexts 2, 3 and 12 could contaminate the excavation of earlier contexts such as 9 and 10 and give false dating information. These artifacts may be termed intrusive finds. See also (1811–1901) – Scottish antiquarian and archaeologist Relative dating – Determination of the relative order of archaeological layers and artifacts Reverse stratigraphy or inverted stratigraphy Sequence (archaeology) – Stratigraphy of the archaeological record, used as part of the 'seriation' method of relative dating References Notes Bibliography Harris, E. C. (1989) Principles of Archaeological Stratigraphy, 2nd Edition. Academic Press: London and San Diego. A. Carandini, Storie dalla terra. Manuale di scavo archeologico, Torino, Einaudi, 1991 Methods in archaeology