Integrating chemical soil analysis with visual inspection of an archaeological excavation may enhance our knowledge of anthropogenic activities from past populations. Elemental distribution of excavated soil from a medieval longhouse at Boroughgate, Skelton, UK was investigated. Soil was extracted from the surface of a longhouse and nearby ditch, analysed using portable X-Ray fluorescence (pXRF), and data were processed into elemental heat maps. The distribution and archaeological associations of magnesium, aluminium, phosphorus, sulphur, potassium, calcium, manganese, iron and zinc were assessed. Elemental concentrations were combined to produce a simplified summary that aided the interpretation of the site, including the delimitation of internal and external zones, clean and refuse zones, and potential animal occupation or waste areas. The application of pXRF was successful at visualising elemental distribution of an excavation to explore the anthropogenic associations through interpretation heat maps.

将化学土壤分析与考古发掘的目视检查相结合，可以增强我们对过去人口的人为活动的了解。对英国斯凯尔顿 Boroughgate 一座中世纪长屋挖掘出的土壤的元素分布进行了调查。从长屋和附近沟渠的表面提取土壤，使用便携式 X 射线荧光 (pXRF) 进行分析，并将数据处理成元素热图。对镁、铝、磷、硫、钾、钙、锰、铁和锌的分布和考古关联进行了评估。结合元素浓度以生成有助于解释场地的简化摘要，包括内部和外部区域、清洁和垃圾区域以及潜在的动物栖息地或废物区域的划分。