Essays and topics are at the intersection between the discursive portion of the UGR (accessed from the left-hand sidebar) and the analytical portion (accessed from the right sidebar). On the one hand, they describe, synthetically, situations and present opinions, thereby providing the larger frame within which the atomistic details of the analytical part are perceived by the excavators. On the other, they are linked, more closely than is the case with other interpretive portions, to the atomistic details of the analytical portions.
A distinct advantage over the entries referred to in the right side bar is that essays and topics can more easily be linked to individual entries of the analytical portion.
The essays are generally written by the project directors, and they address larger issues that cross unit boundaries or that pertain to the broader strategy.
Topics, generally written by unit directors, deal with broader issues that are restricted to the specific unit but are not suited for the atomistic nature of the incidental portion of the UGR.
Typically, they include the overall introduction and summary of any given season, but also other special issues that are dealt with the kind of detail that is not suited to synthetic nature of the texts referred to in the left-hand side bar.
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