ABSTRACT
Many archaeological sites have never been lost. The site may have been abandoned but it may remain clearly visible in the landscape even if, during much of its post-use life, it was not considered an archaeological site as such. Classic sites like Stonehenge, the Great Wall of China, or the Acropolis in Athens have always been known. This usually, but not always, includes the major sites in a region. In England, for example, few medieval masonry castles have been lost while most small peasant farmsteads of the same date have been lost. In general, but not always, small sites are more likely to have been 'lost' than big ones. However, big ones may also have been 'lost' to archaeologists, even if known to the local population.
