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The term 'Phase' is introduced here to show the most possible stratigraphic subdivisions of a site history. The term could, however, be replaced by 'Period of Construction' if no further interpretative step, or historical periods, are to be used. Phases are applied for large and deeply stratified sites.
Several types of land use can be joined horizontally to form the broadly contemporary horizon of a Phase. A site-wide phase/period of construction and use, including contemporary buildings, their alterations, and finally destruction, lasts until the longest living of its associated buildings has gone out of use. The external areas in use at the same time form also part of this phase. As, however, construction and alterations in different buildings are usually not evenly spread and do not always end at the same time, it may be necessary to clarify the stages of construction by dividing phases into sub-phases accordingly.
Several contemporary land use items such as internal and external areas, or parts of the same kind in different trenches, are firstly linked using structural, descriptive and/or stratigraphic criteria and secondly by their date ranges. A sub-phase includes construction, alteration, partial destruction or resurfacings of roads and open areas within a phase. If there was less development in some parts of the project area than in others compare first under structural aspects (similar deposits, same surface heights etc), then by the dating, to finally join land use to the most appropriate sub-phase.