HOW DO ARCHAEOLOGISTS

FIND SITES?
SURVEY AND EXCAVATION OF SITES AND FEATURES

WHY EXCAVATE?
Provides the most reliable evidence for the archaeological inquiry.

Answers human activities:

Horizontally in space
Vertically in time

http://www.lparchaeology.com

HOW ARCHAEOLOGISTS FIND A SITE?

HAPPY ACCIDENTS

Images courtesy of A. Ragrario and N. Amano

Comiso Site
Angono Petroglyphs

HOW ARCHAEOLOGISTS FIND A SITE?

RECONNAISSANCE aka SURVEY

Search for archaeological sites within a specific project area.
Use multiple methods of background work combined with on-the-ground
fieldwork. (White 2008)

THREE TYPES OF SURVEY

Ground Reconnaissance
Aerial Reconnaissance
Subsurface Survey

Image courtesy of M. Eusebio

HOW ARCHAEOLOGISTS FIND A SITE?

Before anything else.. DO YOUR RESEARCH FIRST!

DOCUMENTARY SOURCES

Bible
Place names

Epics

Maps (old and new)

ORAL STORIES AND LOCAL

INFORMANTS
Image after Frank Goddio

Geological Maps

Images courtesy of A. Borel

GROUND RECONNAISSANCE

Field survey; Broad range of techniques

Validate archaeological
potential of a specific area
Look for positive features
Surface finds
Systematic survey
Recording
transects

AERIAL RECONNAISSANCE

Remote-sensing techniques

LandSat / GIS / LIDAR

Aerial photography

1904 Photographed from a balloon from about 600 metres above ground.

Google Earth

SUBSURFACE SURVEY
TEST PIT / SHOVEL TESTING

Systematic and Deep excavation to

determine presence of cultural
remains.

Image courtesy of K. Tantuico

SUBSURFACE SURVEY
CORING / AUGER
A steel rod with a chamber, known as
an auger, is driven into the ground
and a column of the sediment
removed for analysis.
Typically used to study sediments for
geoarchaeology, and plant remains
for archaeobotany.

Images courtesy of S. ODonnell (whos still alive!)

date, weather, and

personnel

Field Journal

Interpretations of
artefacts and
features
Maps and
illustrations
summary of
activities for the
day

Landform
Vegetation
Soils
Disturbance

New research
questions
generated
Modified after Burke and Smith 2004

LOOKING FOR SITES

CASE STUDY: CALUBCUB SITE SURVEY

RESEARCH
Site was suggested by an informant,
the barangay captain

GROUND RECONNAISSANCE + LOCAL INTERVIEWS

METHODS OF EXCAVATION

FIRST THINGS FIRST

RESEARCH YOUR SITE
ARRANGE PAPERWORKS
National Museum Permit + Site Code
If on private property, MOA

Courtesy Calls

TEAM MEMBERS + TASKS

BUDGET TO CONSIDER

FIGURING OUT YOUR SITE

Types of Archaeological Sites

Habitation Sites
Open camp sites
Villages

Caves & Rockshelters

Earthworks
Mounds
Forts

Shell Middens
Ceremonial Sites
Burials and Cemeteries
Historic Sites
Underwater Sites

Wreckage

FIRST STEPS

DECISIONS..
Method of excavation

Context
Spit

Extent

How many squares do we

open?

FIRST STEPS
REMOVING VEGETATION

SETTING DEMARCATION

MAP THE SITE

FIRST STEPS

Tools of the trade..

START OF EXCAVATION

date, weather, and

personnel

Field Journal

Interpretations of
artefacts and
features
Maps and
illustrations
summary of
activities for the
day

Landform
Vegetation
Soils
Disturbance

New research
questions
generated
Modified after Burke and Smith 2004

PRINCIPLES OF EXCAVATION
Principle of Superposition
Recent deposits are laid
down on top of older
deposits

PRINCIPLES OF EXCAVATION
Principle of Association
Items found together in
the same deposit are of
the same age.

PRINCIPLES OF EXCAVATION
Principle of Reversal
Deposits removed and
redeposited in reverse
order

Principle of Intrusion
Intrusion is more recent
than the deposit it cuts

TAPHONOMY IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR

START OF EXCAVATION
Most important rule of excavation:
HORIZONTALLY FIRST, VERTICALLY SECOND
Excavations are done in
squares (grid system)
Visible stratigraphy
Reconstruction of records
Safety purpose

RECOVERY OF MATERIALS

ON FINDING MATERIALS
Recording X Y Z

Z
X

MEASUREMENT

STRATIGRAPHIC PROFILE

RECORDING OF SITE

BACKFILL

TYPES OF SITES

OPEN AIR SITES

CARNIVORE SITE

ANTHROPIC

NATURAL

Den, Kill Site

Kill Site, Manufacture

Site, Habitation

Death, Volcanic
Activity, Trapped, etc

OPEN AIR SITES

Root

Plant supporting sedimentary env

Trampling

Vertical and/or horizontal displacement

Burning

Subsistence and/or fire plains

Animal
Modification

Rodents, carnivores, insects, microorganisms

Weathering

Prolonged exposure to the ground before

deposition

KARSTIC ENVIRONMENTS

HOW ARE
CAVES
FORMED?

CAVES AND ROCKSHELTERS

SHELL MIDDENS

SACRED SITES

BURIALS

HISTORIC SITES

UNDERWATER SITES

LACUSTRINE