Jane

This sounds like an interesting project that has more problems then most us will face on our projects, especially me working on a military Base where I control the access and timing of projects.  Your consideration of the issue of using mechanical equipment is important.  Years ago and I do mean years ago, Emma Lou Davis told me that when using mechanical equipment you think and pray about their use, where they can be used effectivly, and where their use is the only option.  In this case it sounds like you are giving the right measure of thought and prayer to the question of how to use the equipment. You have to decide how you get the most bang for the buck. If that involves excavating some features by hand and other by machine, then design the machine excavations so you limit adverse effects.  Good equipment operators can excavate carefully and in relative levels.  You need to talk with your operators when you design the methods.  They can provide a lot of good help and suggestion about the possiblities and limitations of mechanical equipment use. You also get their buy in on the prooject which will help you as the project progresses. You need to have your archaeologists at the point of the equipment bucket directing and working with he operator.  You will be surprized how much information can be retrieved and not left behind for looters. For safety sake you may want to construct step backs to open wide areas that will allow you to come down on top of the features without the need for shoring.  Areas that can not be stepped would likely need shoring which in a privy can make access a chore, especially if you've become bulky and less than flexible with age.  I would also talk to my client and see if they can provide a site guard for after hours and weekends.  It's amazing how an armed guard (even a rent-a-cop) stops looters.  Often developers like to start guards early on their projects to set the precedent for the construction phase. Finally, as you know in a perfect world of perfect projects, you would excavate by hand each and every privy, foundation, etc. Your project is not, so just design, talk and consider the approach and then do the best job possible under less then desirable conditions.  And like I tell the kids in my karate classes, have fun, because if you can not have fun, why are we here?

Stan Berryman
Cultural Resources Program Manager
AC/S Environmental Security
Box 555008
Camp Pendleton, Ca 92055-5008

Office 760-725-9738
DSN         365-9738
Fax    760-725-9722

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-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Jane
Lee
Sent: Saturday, March 11, 2006 17:16
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Urban archaeology methods question


This is my first post to this list, but I thought that this would be the 
ideal place to get a variety of opinions on a methodological 
question...So, here it goes!  

First, a little background on the problem. I have a site that my crew and 
I will be investigating within the next few weeks that presents a variety 
of logistical issues. The site is the former location of a half city 
block, which is presently situated on an irregularly-shaped parcel of land 
within a highly-trafficked urban setting. The lots on this half block 
contained a mixture of tenant housing and single family dwellings that 
were all consistently occupied by working-class German immigrants during 
the mid-to-late 19th century. Throughout the lots, we have located a 
mixture of features including foundations, cisterns, privies, and other 
various outbuildings. Most of the features were identified by machine-
scraping the surface and comparing what we found to a series of fire 
insurance maps.  

The shape of the parcel of land and the locations of key features such as 
privies and cisterns places some limitations on how we can approach 
excavation. Right now, it appears that bisecting the deep features through 
machine-trenching is our best bet. However, besides working in a heavily 
trafficked and highly visible location, we're also dealing with Type C 
soils, which opens up a lot of safety and OSHA compliance concerns. So, 
does anyone have any advice or guidance for dealing with this type of 
excavation? We're specifically concerned with trenching deep features, and 
how to best record stratigraphy,etc. while using shoring and sheeting? We 
know we can't open the area up for block excavation, but is there any 
other methodology or technique for dealing with deep features that we're 
not considering? Any thoughts, experience, or guidance that anyone would 
be willing to offer would be greatly appreciated!! 

Thanks, 

Jane Lee
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