Lethoslocated

Lethoslocated is a term used in speculative archaeology and geography to designate sites or datasets characterized by an unusually intact stratigraphic layer that preserves contextual integrity. A lethoslocated site is one where artifacts, ecofacts, and features can be interpreted with minimal post-depositional disturbance, allowing clearer reconstruction of past activities and environments.

The term blends lethe, in Greek mythology the river of forgetfulness, with located, emphasizing the preserved memory of a single deposition. It was coined in the late 21st century by researchers exploring theoretical models of stratigraphic preservation and by science fiction writers expanding archaeology’s conceptual toolkit.

Key criteria include stable sedimentation with minimal bioturbation, discrete chronological markers, and robust association of materials within the same depositional event. Methods often combine traditional stratigraphy with noninvasive sensing, such as ground-penetrating radar, micromorphology, and radiometric dating to confirm contemporaneity.

In practical fiction and thought experiments, lethoslocated contexts are used to illustrate how contextual integrity influences interpretation and biases in reconstruction. Notable fictional examples include the Lethoslocated Shelter and Lethoslocated Core, cited in debates on artifact provenance and memory in place.

See also: stratigraphy, taphonomy, depositional continuity, context preservation, cognitive mapping.