Summary
Within the context of archaeological information, the information related to stratigraphy is an important basis on which archaeologists document and infer about past events. Thus, the visualization of this information plays a fundamental role as a basis for generating knowledge in archaeological contexts. As a methodological construct, the conceptualization, management and visualization of stratigraphic information have traditionally been linked to the origin of stratigraphic documentation methods [1][2] keeping notations and visualization techniques that emerged all at once. In recent decades, some studies have progressively incorporated emerging trends that try to improve the visualization of the stratigraphic information obtained, with proposals of tools [3] and even changing the initial conception of the stratigraphic method, such as the incorporation of 3D approaches [4] on user interfaces to visualize stratigraphic sequences.However, most of these innovative representations are only used to communicate results or disseminate archaeological knowledge to non-professionals, and traditional approaches are kept for research purposes. Still, it is research which usually presents the most demanding needs for information visualization and representation, and stratigraphic information, as shown in the literature, may benefit from new approaches to its conceptualization and display. Why not apply them as a support for the research process in archaeology?We have performed a deep analysis of the representation and visualization techniques applied to stratigraphic information over time, with particular emphasis on how archaeologists visualize stratigraphic sequences during the research processes. In addition, we have identified some conceptual problems in the visualization of stratigraphic information that make the use of more innovative visualization techniques very difficult or impossible. In particular, we have identified as relevant the non-existence of a conceptual and visual separation between the material aspect (i.e. the material stratification found) and the outcomes of the interpretations that are based on the former (such as the archaeologist?s conclusions about functional or chronological aspects of the material parts). This absence of separation create ambiguities and conflicts in the conceptualization and visualization of information, as some authors have pointed out [5][6].This paper identifies the problems associated with this non-separation, and presents a conceptualization and visualization proposal for stratigraphic information as a result of joint work between archaeologists and specialists in information modelling and visualization. By using the proposed approach, the two aspects of information ?material and interpretive? can be documented, processed and displayed separately but in an interconnected fashion, giving the researcher the power to view only one aspect, the other, or both at the same time. By using this approach, more precise information about stratigraphy can be handled with ease and communicated without ambiguity, thus helping the archaeological research process.