A hole or cavity in the ground, either natural or the result of excavation. Use more specific type where known.
Related Terms
| Term |
Note |
| CESS PIT |
A pit for the reception of human waste and refuse. |
| CLAY PIT |
A place from which clay is extracted. |
| CREMATION PIT |
A site where a corpse has been burnt on a pyre over a pit, which acts as a receptacle for the remains. Occasionally accompanied by burnt grave goods, placed with the body on the pyre. |
| EXTRACTIVE PIT |
Surface workings, including shallow shafts, lode workings, open-pit methods and quarrying including some mines of stone, clays, compounds etc. See also MINERAL EXTRACTION SITE. |
| PIT ALIGNMENT |
A single line, or pair of roughly parallel lines, of pits set at intervals along a common axis or series of axes. The pits are not thought to have held posts. |
| PIT CIRCLE |
A circular or sub-circular arrangement of pits usually revealed as cropmarks on aerial photographs. Where excavation has shown the pits contained timber posts use TIMBER CIRCLE. |
| PIT DEFINED AVENUE |
An avenue defined by two or more parallel rows of pits. |
| PIT DEFINED CURSUS |
A long, rectangular enclosure defined by pits or post-holes, often with one or more internal divisions. Presumed to be ritual in function and of Neolithic date. |
| PIT ENCLOSURE |
An enclosure where the boundary is defined by a line of pits. Usually revealed as cropmarks on aerial photographs. Where excavation has shown the pits contained upright timber posts use TIMBER ENCLOSURE. |
| PIT GROUP |
An associated but irregular grouping of pits. |
| PIT SETTING |
A regular grouping of pits. |
| RITUAL PIT |
A pit which appears to have been dug for, or which contains, objects apparently deposited for reasons other than storage, disposal or extraction. |
| RUBBISH PIT |
A pit where domestic waste material is deposited. |
| SAW PIT |
A place where tree trunks were sawn into planks by hand. |
| STORAGE PIT |
A pit in which meat, grain and other foodstuffs are stored. |
| TANNING PIT |
A pit or tank containing chemicals for preserving animal hide. |
