stratigraphy

This term describes the scientific analysis of layered materials to establish a chronological timeline. In geology, it focuses on the physical properties and sequence of rock strata to understand Earth's history, while in archaeology, it focuses on the deposition of cultural artifacts to date human activity.

As a specialized academic field, the word is an uncountable noun. It refers to the discipline or the specific arrangement of layers rather than a countable object, meaning it does not typically take a plural form in standard scientific usage.