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Excavation in Practice
We have arranged two sessions exploring the principles of modern excavation to get us thinking ahead of this year's fieldwork.
Session 1: Talk followed by questions and discussion:
Why we excavate, how we find sites and how we prepare for excavation
11 February 7-8.30pm
This session is about the significance of excavation and considers all that must be done before a trench can be opened.
We will consider the following questions, amongst others:
- Excavation – and what follows – is an expensive, destructive and time-consuming process. Why do we excavate?
- What research and investigation should or could happen before excavation is undertaken?
- What has to happen practically and administratively before excavation can begin?
- What principles and questions decide where exactly we put our trenches?
An exercise in choosing trench locations will be emailed after this session with a discussion about the ‘answers’ on 16 February at 7-7.30pm!
Session 2: Talk followed by discussion: 23 February 7-8.30pm
The principles of excavation
23 February 7-8.30pm
This session is about what happens on site, how we dig, and how we record what we find.
We will consider the following questions, amongst others:
- Excavation is destructive. How do archaeologists ensure as much as possible is learnt from a dig?
- What are the various approaches to unpicking a site?
- What are the stages of the excavation process?
- Why is archaeological stratigraphy central to the practice of excavation?
- Excavation has its own terminology. Find out what these mean on an archaeological site: context (two meanings); stratigraphy; cut; relationship; deposit; fill; plan; section.
- How are sites recorded?
I will tie the sessions to WallCAP sites and objectives as far as I can, but also use examples from other sites which I have excavated. The sessions are not just for those of you keen to work on site – or who have already been involved in excavation – but also for anyone who want to understand why excavation is important and how an excavation works.
Check the Volunteer Portal to sign up!
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