appologies for cross-posting

DIGGING IN THE DIRT 2 (LECTURES) and 3 (ROUND TABLE)

These sessions aim to develop the themes discussed at Bournemouth (publication
of the proceedings forthcoming).
        Members of the EAA should already be aware that there are major
differences in the way archaeologists excavate in different countries. This
stands in stark contrast to such "hard" sciences as biology, chemistry or
physics. Is this a problem?
        Considering how much of the archaeology we do today is strictly
interpretative - the gender studies, the post-processional and other syntheses
of data already available, etc. - how many of our theoretical and interpretative
models are based on poorly collected data (i.e. poorly excavated sites)?
        Another major trend is towards increasingly fragmented excavation
projects: instead of excavating a whole site for research purposes, someone
watches the installation of a sewer line and documents their observations.
Without standardised excavation methods and documentation techniques, how can
data gathered from one such "keyhole" excavation be combined with that from any
other project on the same site?
        In this session we examine the dirty business of excavation. We can look
back at how we have excavated in the past, and discuss methodologies for the
future. We can see how archaeologists excavate their sites in different
countries, and learn from one another.
        Topics to be examined will/could include:
        · Stratigraphy
        · soil descriptions
        · documentation systems
        · excavation methods
        · the relationship between documentation and excavation
        · surveying
        · remote sensing
etc.

Session organizer:

        geoff carver
        http://home.t-online.de/home/gcarver/
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