A small preliminary excavation made to gain an idea of the contents or stratigraphy of an archaeological site.
（考古遗址开挖前所挖的）探坑，试坑
Example sentencesExamples
Five test pits were excavated at three locations immediately behind the steep cutbank at the west side of the site in order to sample the prehistoric midden for subsistence data and to obtain radiocarbon samples.
In 1965, a survey, collector interviews, and test pit excavation established the extent of the Robinson site.
It is the first time the programme has been filmed in Essex and local residents turned out in force to help with the test pits.
‘We opened a test pit in the grounds once and found some terracotta and teak that we believed once belonged to Surosowan,’ he said.
All three pieces, from the same test pit, have been conjoined to form the handle of a mug or small pitcher.
Burned rock was found in every test pit, but it was most abundant in unit A.
Except for Ogoloma, archaeological investigations to date have been limited to test pits.
A test pit was dug in the silt and revealed the presence of large superb milky quartz crystals and groups.
Another shallow test pit, designated as No.4 shaft, explored an amygdaloidal lode located near the present Highway 26, which traverses the property.
Cooper also excavated numerous test pits in one portion of the site (every 8-10 ft, according to his notes).
Shovel test pits measuring 50 × 50 cm were excavated at 10-m intervals along each transect.
Archaeologists from Colchester Archaeological Trust have been excavating 12 trenches and two test pits in the Vineyard Street area, just beyond the Roman wall.
Following the evaluation of possible sites, the University of Ibadan team decided to excavate test pits at Onyoma and Ke to study and date their cultural contents.
Prehistoric pottery was abundant in the test pits, with 1,360 potsherds, including 34 rim sherds and 50 decorated body sherds, recovered.