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Trial Trenching
Trial trenching is a rapid and relatively inexpensive method of archaeological evaluation used to estimate the archaeological potential of a site. Trenches are located at intervals across a site leaving the rest untouched. A mechanical excavator is used to dig down to archaeological features or natural geological deposits and any archaeology is recorded. No further excavation takes place at this stage. The results of the trial trenching are used to inform any future stage of work which may extend to full excavation of the rest of the site if the evaluation reveals significant finds. There is some argument over the sampling strategy to be employed in trial trenching, especially in evaluating sites that are intended for development. Issues such as the effectiveness of certain trench layouts or the percentage of the site to be dug (normally around 5% at present) are widely discussed. Whether an effective picture of past human activity on a site can be truly estimated through this me ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Excavation (archaeology)
In archaeology, excavation is the exposure, processing and recording of archaeological remains. An excavation site or "dig" is the area being studied. These locations range from one to several areas at a time during a project and can be conducted over a few weeks to several years. Excavation involves the recovery of several types of data from a site. This data includes artifacts (portable objects made or modified by humans), features (non-portable modifications to the site itself such as post molds, burials, and hearths), ecofacts (evidence of human activity through organic remains such as animal bones, pollen, or charcoal), and archaeological context (relationships among the other types of data).Kelly&Thomas (2011). ''Archaeology: down to earth'' (4th ed.). Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. Before excavating, the presence or absence of archaeological remains can often be suggested by, non-intrusive remote sensing, such as ground-penetrating radar. Basic infor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sampling Strategy
Sampling may refer to: *Sampling (signal processing), converting a continuous signal into a discrete signal * Sampling (graphics), converting continuous colors into discrete color components *Sampling (music), the reuse of a sound recording in another recording **Sampler (musical instrument), an electronic musical instrument used to record and play back samples *Sampling (statistics), selection of observations to acquire some knowledge of a statistical population *Sampling (case studies), selection of cases for single or multiple case studies * Sampling (audit), application of audit procedures to less than 100% of population to be audited *Sampling (medicine), gathering of matter from the body to aid in the process of a medical diagnosis and/or evaluation of an indication for treatment, further medical tests or other procedures. *Sampling (occupational hygiene), detection of hazardous materials in the workplace *Sampling (for testing or analysis), taking a representative portion of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Type I And Type II Errors
In statistical hypothesis testing, a type I error is the mistaken rejection of an actually true null hypothesis (also known as a "false positive" finding or conclusion; example: "an innocent person is convicted"), while a type II error is the failure to reject a null hypothesis that is actually false (also known as a "false negative" finding or conclusion; example: "a guilty person is not convicted"). Much of statistical theory revolves around the minimization of one or both of these errors, though the complete elimination of either is a statistical impossibility if the outcome is not determined by a known, observable causal process. By selecting a low threshold (cut-off) value and modifying the alpha (α) level, the quality of the hypothesis test can be increased. The knowledge of type I errors and type II errors is widely used in medical science, biometrics and computer science. Intuitively, type I errors can be thought of as errors of ''commission'', i.e. the researcher unluc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
National Planning Policy Framework
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is a land-use planning policy in the United Kingdom. It was originally published by the UK's Department of Communities and Local Government in March 2012, consolidating over two dozen previously issued documents called Planning Policy Statements (PPS) and Planning Policy Guidance Notes (PPG) for use in England. It has since been revised in 2018, 2019 and 2021. The NPPF pursues a pro-growth, neoliberal and deregulationist agenda. As well as sweeping away the previous Labour government's top-down housing targets and regional planning strategies in conjunction with the Localism Act 2011, the NPPF introduced a presumption in favour of sustainable development at the heart of the English planning system, which encourages local planning authorities to plan positively for new development, and approve all individual proposals wherever possible. The other core principles of the framework are of a genuinely plan-led system, empowering loca ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Archaeological Field Survey
In archaeology, survey or field survey is a type of field research by which archaeologists (often landscape archaeologists) search for archaeological sites and collect information about the location, distribution and organization of past human cultures across a large area (e.g. typically in excess of one hectare, and often in excess of many km2). Archaeologists conduct surveys to search for particular archaeological sites or kinds of sites, to detect patterns in the distribution of material culture over regions, to make generalizations or test hypotheses about past cultures, and to assess the risks that development projects will have adverse impacts on archaeological heritage. The surveys may be: (a) ''intrusive'' or ''non-intrusive'', depending on the needs of the survey team (and the risk of destroying archaeological evidence if intrusive methods are used) and; (b) ''extensive'' or ''intensive'', depending on the types of research questions being asked of the landscape in quest ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shovel Test Pit
A shovel test pit (STP) is a standard method for Phase I of an archaeological survey. It is usually a part of the Cultural Resources Management (CRM) methodology and a popular form of rapid archaeological survey in the United States of America and Canada. It designates a series of (c. 0.50 m or less) test holes, usually dug out by a shovel (hence the name) in order to determine whether the soil contains any cultural remains that are not visible on the surface. The soil is sifted or screened through 1/4" or 6 mm wire mesh to recover the artifacts. STPs will often be laid out over the project area in a grid-like fashion or in a consistently spaced line, creating a fairly systematic survey. Therefore, after the holes have been dug, one may map artifact densities over the project area, pinpointing the locations of possible sites where further investigation may be necessary. The interval at which the STPs are placed varies considerably and, in CRM at least, is sometimes prescribe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Watching Brief
In British archaeology a watching brief is a method of preserving archaeological remains by record in the face of development threat. An archaeologist is employed by the developer to monitor the excavation of foundation and service trenches, landscaping and any other intrusive work. The developer undertakes to give the archaeologist sufficient time to identify and record any archaeological finds and features; however, the arrangement is rarely satisfactory for either party. It is often difficult, both intellectually and physically, to identify archaeological features in narrow foundation trenches and the potential delay to a project can also be difficult for a developer to incorporate into a development programme. Prior evaluation through trial trenching can overcome these problems by having the archaeology examined and removed or preserved before groundworks commence. Defined by the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA) as: “…a formal programme of observation and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sondage
A sondage is an archaeological process to clarify stratigraphic sequences during preliminary investigations of the terrain prior to an archaeological dig. In a narrower sense it is a "deep trial trench for inspecting stratigraphy". at collinsdictionary.com. Retrieved 10 December 2021. In doing so, several approximately 1 m² test excavations are carried out over the area, as far as possible down to the 'natural soil' level. Clearly recognizable layers (possibly created by hiatuses or fire horizons) allow an initial overview, and individual finds made in the process can be assigned to a specific layer in suitable cases. In the case of a probe, technical work steps such as the precise measurement of the cut are particularly important. In a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
