Again safety is a major issue and one best method outside is to demolish 
your sections to create slopes which can be grassed. Walls will need to 
be mortared.  If you want to permanently preserve vertical sections it 
really means having a permanent or semi-permanent structure over the 
excavation. I have seen numerous examples of these from Paris to 
Montreal but while it works well for showing off stone structures the 
sections will just tend to dry up and look messy. Good drainage is 
essential to stop flooding and some sort of humidity control though 
costly may help to prevent exreme dying and cracking of soil.

paul courtney
leicester

[log in to unmask] wrote:

>Hi everyone, I guess I should have clarified my question.  
>
>We have orange fencing, etc for current safety issues.  And last winter, we put down plastic and infilled the units with clean fill dirt.  We gave since opened up most of the units.  We had a session this summer and more scheduled for later in September.  Regarding the animal issues you mentioned below, we try to keep the units cleaned out on a regular basis.
>
>I am really looking for more permanent solutions for sections where excavation is complete, short of filling them all back in again.  We would like to keep areas open for public interpretation while providing protection for the exposed archaeological features.
>
>thanks,
>Jeannine Kreinbrink
>
>---- paul courtney <[log in to unmask]> wrote: 
>  
>
>>Your biggest problem is safety. Imagine a small child breaking their leg 
>>and the multi-million pound law suit afterwards.  Anything potentially 
>>dangerous needs fencing off and hazard signs.  As far as children are 
>>concerned there is probably no defence that would save you from a 
>>negligence claim/criminal charge but you have to make every effort to 
>>make the site safe.  I have worked on numerous multi-year projects and 
>>some damage from weather and visitors is inevitable especially in regard 
>>to sections.. Weather and soil type make a difference. Soil laid over 
>>plastic sheeting has been widely used in UK on English Heritage and Cadw 
>>sites dug in successive summers over many decades and I haven't seen an 
>>effective substitute. Areas of open soil can be left to weather though 
>>nematode infections amongst diggers can be a minor problem due to dogs 
>>and wild animals using the site as a toilet.
>>
>>paul courtney
>>Leicester
>>UK
>>
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>>
>>[log in to unmask] wrote:
>>
>>
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>>
>>>Hello all, 
>>>
>>>I am in the middle of a public archaeology project where we return to the same site every few months.  I am looking for ways to protect the site between digs without necessarily having to fill in the excavation units between each dig session.  It is also part of a park/museum and we would like to have the site open for visitors and interpretation (we have stone foundations, brick dry well, etc).  We have thought about shoring up the sides of the excavation units.  Also we recently caught someone trying to remove bricks from the exposed top of a small dry well/cistern.  So security is now also an issue.
>>>
>>>Any experience, ideas?
>>>
>>>thanks,
>>>Jeannine Kreinbrink
>>>Senior Archaeologist, N&E Env. Solutions
>>>President, James A. Ramage Civil War Museum Board
>>>
>>>---- Missi Green <[log in to unmask]> wrote: 
>>> 
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>>>You can try Phil Dering at Shumla Archeobotanical Services, Comstock Texas. 
>>>>
>>>>Missi Green
>>>>Geo-Marine, Inc.
>>>>
>>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>>From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Megan
>>>>Springate
>>>>Sent: Sunday, August 28, 2005 3:18 PM
>>>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>>>Subject: Wood Sample Lab?
>>>>
>>>>Greetings,
>>>>
>>>>Can anyone suggest a company to send wood samples to for species 
>>>>identification?
>>>>
>>>>Many thanks,
>>>>Megan Springate.
>>>>   
>>>>
>>>>        
>>>>
>>> 
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>
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>