[Co]
A relatively steep-sided hole dug into the ground surface. Pits are probably the single most common feature encountered during archaeological excavations and are known in many different shapes and sizes. Originally they were probably constructed for many different purposes, from the regular cylindrical or bell-shaped forms used for storing foodstuffs to the highly irregular borrow pits that served as quarries for clay or stone to build or refurbish an adjacent structure. Many others no doubt served as lavatories.
