Terassikerroksissa

Terassikerroksissa is a Finnish term used in geology and archaeology to describe the context of sediments, artifacts, or fossils located within terrace stratigraphy. The term combines terassi (terrace) with kerros (layer) and the iness suffix -issa, indicating a position inside a terrace layer.

Terassikerrokset refer to sedimentary units deposited on former river terraces, which form when a river incises downward while the surrounding land is uplifting or climate changes alter water discharge. Terrace deposits may include gravels, sands, silts, and organic material, and they record episodic aggradation and incision corresponding to changes in base level or climate.

When investigators say something is 'terassikerroksissa', they mean the material is in situ within the terrace sequence, not in younger alluvial fans or floodplain deposits. Dating of terrace sequences often relies on radiocarbon dating of organic remains, luminescence dating of quartz grains, or tephrochronology, enabling reconstruction of river dynamics and paleoenvironment.

In archaeology, terrace layers can host occupation deposits, tool assemblages, or artifact horizons that shed light on past human activity in relation to changing landscapes and resource availability.

Understanding terassikerroksissa helps interpret sediment transport, sedimentology of river systems, and regional climate history. It is important to distinguish terrace units from adjacent riverine deposits and to correlate them across a valley for accurate environmental reconstruction.