16.1 Excavation techniques for historical sites
2 min read•august 9, 2024
Excavation techniques for historical sites involve careful planning and systematic methods. Archaeologists use grid systems, , and detailed documentation to record site layout and artifact locations. These practices ensure accurate spatial analysis and interpretation of colonial-era remains.
follows natural layers, revealing site history. Techniques like , troweling, and help recover artifacts. Specialized methods such as and soil analysis provide additional data on past environments and human activities at colonial sites.
Site Preparation and Documentation
Establishing a Grid System and Mapping
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- divides site into manageable units for systematic excavation
- Typically uses Cartesian coordinate system with alphanumeric designations
- Feature mapping records location and dimensions of
- Includes structures, hearths, middens, and other significant elements
- documents precise location of artifacts and features within the grid
- Crucial for spatial analysis and understanding
- Total station or GPS equipment often used for accurate mapping and provenience
Recording and Documenting the Site
- capture detailed observations, interpretations, and daily progress
- Include sketches, measurements, soil descriptions, and
- Site photography provides visual documentation of excavation process
- Includes overall site shots, feature close-ups, and in situ artifact photos
- techniques create 3D models of site and features
- offers aerial perspective for large-scale site documentation
- Detailed site plans and stratigraphic profiles complement photographic records
Excavation Techniques
Stratigraphic Excavation Methods
- refers to layered deposits representing different time periods or activities
- Excavation proceeds from top to bottom, following natural or
- Each stratum carefully removed and documented separately
- Shovel test pits (STPs) used for initial site assessment and boundary determination
- Small, typically 50x50 cm or 1x1 m, excavated at regular intervals across site
- Provide quick overview of site stratigraphy and
- Troweling employed for precise excavation and
- Allows for careful removal of soil and exposure of features and artifacts
- Essential for delicate contexts like burials or fragile artifacts (ceramics, textiles)
Artifact Recovery and Soil Analysis
- Soil screening separates artifacts from excavated soil
- Uses mesh screens of varying sizes (1/4 inch, 1/8 inch, or smaller)
- Dry screening for most contexts, water screening for clay-rich or waterlogged soils
- Flotation technique recovers small organic remains (seeds, charcoal)
- Light fraction floats to surface, heavy fraction sinks in water
- Soil samples collected for chemical and environmental analysis
- Phosphate analysis indicates areas of human activity
- Pollen analysis provides information on past vegetation and climate
Key Terms to Review (20)
Archaeological features: Archaeological features are non-portable remnants of human activity that cannot be removed from a site without altering its integrity. These include structures like foundations, walls, and hearths, as well as postholes and ditches. Understanding these features is crucial for reconstructing past human behavior and activities, as they often provide insight into the spatial organization and usage of historical sites.
Artifact distribution: Artifact distribution refers to the spatial arrangement and frequency of artifacts within a given archaeological site. This concept helps archaeologists understand how people used and organized space in the past, revealing patterns of behavior, social structure, and activity areas. By analyzing where artifacts are found, archaeologists can piece together information about the daily lives of individuals and communities at historical sites.
Artifact recovery: Artifact recovery is the systematic process of locating, collecting, and preserving artifacts from archaeological sites to gain insights into past human activities and cultures. This process is crucial in understanding the historical context of the site, which includes the artifacts' relationship to their surroundings and their relevance to cultural heritage. The techniques used in artifact recovery can greatly influence the quality of the data collected and the interpretation of historical narratives.
Contextual information: Contextual information refers to the background details and circumstances surrounding an archaeological site or artifact that provide insights into its significance, usage, and meaning. This information helps archaeologists understand the relationship between artifacts and their environment, which is crucial for interpreting historical sites accurately.
Cultural layers: Cultural layers refer to the distinct strata of material and cultural deposits that accumulate over time at an archaeological site. Each layer represents a specific period of human activity, containing artifacts, features, and ecofacts that reflect the lifestyle, beliefs, and technological advancements of its inhabitants. Understanding these layers is crucial for interpreting the chronological sequence of a site and the changes in culture and occupation throughout history.
Drone photography: Drone photography refers to the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with cameras to capture images and videos from an aerial perspective. This technology allows for high-resolution imagery and unique vantage points, making it an essential tool in modern archaeological practices, particularly in documenting and analyzing historical sites during excavation processes.
Field Notes: Field notes are detailed records that archaeologists keep during their excavation and research activities. These notes capture observations, measurements, and reflections on the artifacts and features discovered at a site, serving as a crucial tool for documentation and analysis. Field notes help researchers maintain a chronological account of their work, aiding in the reconstruction of past behaviors and cultural practices as well as supporting the broader context of historical archaeology.
Flotation: Flotation is a process used in archaeology to recover small artifacts, ecofacts, and other materials from soil samples by separating lighter particles from heavier ones in water. This method allows archaeologists to collect tiny items like seeds, bone fragments, and small tools that might otherwise be missed during excavation. It plays a crucial role in analyzing past human behavior and environmental conditions.
Grid system: A grid system is a method of organizing and mapping out space through the use of a network of intersecting lines that create a series of squares or rectangles. This systematic approach allows for efficient planning, surveying, and excavation by establishing a consistent reference framework. The grid system is essential in historical archaeology, urban planning, and excavation techniques as it enables archaeologists to accurately record and analyze spatial relationships between artifacts, structures, and features in both historical and colonial contexts.
Ivor Noel Hume: Ivor Noel Hume is a renowned archaeologist known for his significant contributions to the field of historical archaeology in the United States, particularly focusing on the colonial period. He is most recognized for his work at sites like Jamestown, where he combined excavation techniques with a strong emphasis on the analysis of material culture to uncover insights into social dynamics and everyday life during colonial times. His methodologies have also influenced how archaeologists approach site excavation and the interpretation of artifacts within their social contexts.
James Deetz: James Deetz was a pioneering American archaeologist known for his work in historical archaeology, particularly focusing on colonial America. His innovative approaches helped to establish the significance of everyday artifacts in understanding past societies and their cultural practices, bridging gaps between archaeology and history through interdisciplinary methods.
Mapping: Mapping refers to the process of creating visual representations of geographical areas, features, and artifacts to help understand their spatial relationships and significance. In archaeological contexts, mapping is essential for documenting site layouts, artifact distributions, and excavation units, providing a way to analyze historical landscapes and human interactions over time.
Photogrammetry: Photogrammetry is the technique of using photography to measure and create accurate representations of physical objects or environments. It plays a vital role in capturing detailed spatial data and can be used for mapping, modeling, and analyzing archaeological sites. By combining multiple images taken from different angles, photogrammetry allows archaeologists to produce 3D models that facilitate better understanding and documentation of historical artifacts and structures.
Provenience: Provenience refers to the exact location where an artifact or ecofact is found during an archaeological excavation. It plays a critical role in understanding the context and significance of artifacts, providing essential information about their relationships to other finds and the historical environment in which they were used. Provenience connects the artifact to its archaeological context, allowing researchers to piece together the story of past human activities and cultural practices.
Shovel test pits: Shovel test pits are small, systematic excavations used in archaeology to assess the presence and distribution of archaeological materials in a specific area. They help archaeologists gather preliminary data about a site before more extensive excavation occurs, allowing for a better understanding of the site's potential significance and informing future research strategies.
Site formation processes: Site formation processes refer to the series of natural and cultural events that shape and alter archaeological sites over time, affecting the preservation and context of material remains. These processes include both human activities, such as construction, abandonment, and disturbance, as well as natural factors like erosion, sedimentation, and climate change. Understanding these processes is essential for interpreting archaeological data and reconstructing past human behaviors and environments.
Soil screening: Soil screening is a process used in archaeology to separate artifacts and ecofacts from soil during excavation. This technique involves passing excavated soil through a mesh or sieve to catch small items that may provide valuable information about past human activity and environmental conditions. By collecting these materials, archaeologists can gain insights into the site's history and the behaviors of its former inhabitants.
Stratification: Stratification refers to the layering of soil and sediment that occurs over time, which is crucial for understanding the chronological sequence of human activity and environmental changes at archaeological sites. Each layer, or stratum, represents a specific period in history, often preserving artifacts and other materials that can reveal information about past societies. By analyzing these layers, archaeologists can reconstruct the sequence of events and gain insights into the development and decline of cultures.
Stratigraphic excavation: Stratigraphic excavation is a method used in archaeology to systematically excavate layers of soil and artifacts to understand the chronological sequence of human activity at a site. This technique relies on the principle of stratigraphy, which states that deeper layers are older than those above them, allowing archaeologists to uncover the history of a site by examining how these layers have accumulated over time.
Trowel: A trowel is a small hand tool with a pointed, scoop-shaped metal blade and a handle, primarily used in archaeology for digging, scraping, and precise excavation work. This tool is crucial for revealing delicate artifacts and features in the soil without causing damage. The design of the trowel allows archaeologists to work carefully in confined spaces, making it an essential instrument during excavation at historical sites.