Compactness captures how tightly consolidated a StratigraphicLayer's sediment is, which helps archaeologists distinguish deposits and judge how they formed. LOOSE soil falls apart with no cohesion. FRIABLE crumbles easily under light pressure. FIRM resists crumbling but can still be broken by hand. COMPACT is densely packed and difficult to dig. CEMENTED is the hardest state, where particles are bound together as if mineralized, requiring tools to break apart. Noting compactness alongside soil texture and color builds a full description of each layer.
Technical section
Data model, API, and internals — visible to developers.