In the metes and bounds system of land surveying, the essential elements include reference points, angles, and distances, which help define the boundaries of a specific parcel of land. Reference points serve as identifiable locations from which measurements begin, angles provide direction, and distances indicate the length of each boundary line.
Elevation, however, is not a fundamental component of the metes and bounds method. This system primarily deals with the two-dimensional aspects of land measurements, focusing on the horizontal layout rather than vertical measurements. Elevation may be relevant in other contexts of surveying, such as topographic mapping or in defining three-dimensional space, but it does not play a role in establishing boundaries using the metes and bounds technique. Thus, elevation is not an essential element of this particular surveying method.