Key Archaeological Methods & Technologies

Key Archaeological Methods & Technologies

Survey Techniques

  • Reconnaissance Survey:

    • Preliminary examination of a region to locate potential sites.

  • Cultural Resource Management (CRM):

    • Focus on managing and preserving cultural heritage, especially in the face of development or degradation.

  • Aerial Imagery / Satellite Imagery:

    • Photographs taken from aircraft or satellites to detect features or anomalies in landscapes that indicate archaeological sites.

  • LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging):

    • Utilizes laser scanning from aircraft to create detailed 3D models of terrain, revealing hidden ground features beneath vegetation.

  • Magnetometry:

    • Technique that detects magnetic anomalies in soil caused by human activities, identifying potential archaeological features.

  • Electrical Resistivity:

    • Measures how soil resists electrical current, helping to locate features such as walls or ditches underground.

  • Geophysical Prospecting:

    • Involves non-invasive methods (like magnetometry, resistivity, Ground Penetrating Radar) to detect buried structures without excavation.

  • GIS (Geographic Information Systems):

    • A system used to map, analyze, and interpret spatial data, crucial for site analysis and management.

  • Crop Marks / Soil Marks:

    • Indicators of subsurface features based on differences in vegetation or soil color, often visible from the air.

Excavation Concepts & Terminology

  • Stratigraphy:

    • The study of soil layers (strata) which aids in understanding the sequence of human occupation and the environmental history of a site.

  • Principle of Superposition:

    • States that in layered soils, lower layers are older than those that lie above them.

  • Provenience:

    • Refers to the exact 3D location where an artifact is found, essential for context in archaeological studies.

  • In situ:

    • Describes an artifact that remains in its original place of deposition at the time of its discovery.

  • Assemblage:

    • A collection of artifacts from the same context or time period, useful for understanding cultural behaviors.

Dating Techniques

  • Radiocarbon Dating:

    • Used to date organic material like wood or bone by measuring the decay of Carbon-14; effective for dating materials up to approximately 50,000 years old.

  • Thermoluminescence:

    • Dates ceramics and burned stone by measuring the last time the object was heated.

  • Uranium-series Dating:

    • Suitable for dating calcium carbonate deposits (e.g., from caves); effective for a range of 1,000 to 500,000 years.

  • Tree Rings (Dendrochronology):

    • Uses annual growth rings in trees to date wood precisely, can resolve dates to the exact year.

  • Varves:

    • Layers of sediment from lake beds that represent annual deposits; useful for not only dating but also climate research.

Site Transformation Processes

  • Natural Transformations:

    • Processes that affect sites due to natural causes such as erosion, flooding, or animal activity.

  • Cultural Transformations:

    • Changes to archaeological sites resulting from human actions like construction, vandalism, or looting.

Phases of Archaeological Investigation

  • Phase 1 - Identification:

    • Involves surface survey, shovel testing, and remote sensing to identify potential sites.

  • Phase 2 - Evaluation:

    • Conducting test units to assess the significance and details of identified sites.

  • Phase 3 - Mitigation:

    • Entails full excavation and data recovery from sites deemed significant.

Study Prompts

  • LiDAR:

    • Explains the advantages of LiDAR technology in locating archaeological sites in dense forest areas.

  • Difference between Phase 2 and Phase 3:

    • Discusses how these phases differ in approach and objectives regarding site evaluation.

  • Natural vs. Cultural Transformations:

    • Analyze how these transformation processes impact the preservation and archaeological integrity of sites.

  • Dating Methods:

    • Explore which dating methods are most effective for organic versus inorganic materials.

  • Importance of Stratigraphy and Provenience:

    • Discuss the necessity of understanding these concepts during excavation for accurate historical interpretation and context.

  • The Time Team uses geophysics to explore what’s underground before they dig. They explain three main methods:

    1. Magnetometry

      • Example: At a Roman villa site, magnetometry picked up the outlines of walls and rooms because the soil had been heated or disturbed. It quickly mapped large areas, showing clear black and white patterns that revealed structures.

    2. Resistivity

      • Example: At an Iron Age site, resistivity helped detect a roundhouse. The stone foundations had higher resistance than the surrounding soil, creating a visible contrast in the results.

    3. Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR)

      • Example: In a churchyard, GPR was used to find buried graves and walls without disturbing the site. It produced a layered image of the subsurface, showing features at different depths.