Training excavations are normally run by university departments or large contractors and employ professional
archaeologists to teach the basics of archaeological methodology, including
photography
Photography is the art, application, and practice of creating durable images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is employed i ...
,
stratigraphy
Stratigraphy is a branch of geology concerned with the study of rock layers (strata) and layering (stratification). It is primarily used in the study of sedimentary and layered volcanic rocks.
Stratigraphy has three related subfields: lithostra ...
,
illustration and draughtsmanship as well as survey and finds treatment.
The main element of a training excavation is the student or paying volunteer. Often the
excavation site is large and
rural, and can be worked on over the summer period for several weeks, with many groups arriving over the period for training. Many sites are only excavated due to this type of practice, where development is not pressing for completion and more time can be taken in the long term investigation of the site and training of new archaeologists. The standard of training on an
excavation can be variable, with some sites run by academic archaeologists who are not up to date with current practice.
External links
In the UK there are many places to work on a training excavation, and three websites provide details:
''Current Archaeoogy''''UK Archaeology Opportunities''''British Archaeological Jobs Resource''
Methods in archaeology