Jane,

Having worked in the northeast for over 20 years and on many urban projects
I understand your situation and Ron's concerns.  The reality of the
situation is that you have to get the most out of the site within the time
and budget you have to work within.  There has been some great pieces of
work conducted by archaeologists over the years using backhoes (Ed Rutsch in
New York, John Milner Associates in Philadelphia to name a few). Although
backhoes are large pieces of machinery they can be very effective tools in
the hands of a good operator guided by an experienced archaeologist.  We
typically excavate a portion of the properties with smaller block style
open-area excavations down to sterile soils followed by stripping to expose
trash pits (which are typically single episode events) and shafts (privies,
well and cistern).  You also tend to pick up drainage features in this
manner.  At this point the safest way to excavate shaft features is by
excavating a sloped (using OSHA standards) trench along the outside of the
shaft.  As the trench get deeper you simply dismantle one side and reveal
the straticgraphic profile removing contexts by last in first out principles
(take soil samples for flotation).  This method allows sunlight to give you
a much better picture of the deposits.  Many of these shafts were
periodically cleaned and filled quickly in response to local ordinances when
city sewer and water were connected.  The major fill episodes can be very
informative and sometimes you get substantial deposits in the lower portions
of the shafts where the honey dippers could not or did not reach.  These
lower deposits will date to earlier occupations and reveal a different
picture of the former residence such as different ethnicity especially with
tenants.

Bill Liebeknecht MA
Principal Investigator
Hunter Research, Inc.  
Trenton, NJ

-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Jane
Lee
Sent: Monday, March 13, 2006 12:57 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Urban archaeology methods question


I totally appreciate your concern for context, Ron. That is a serious 
concern for me as well, and that concern is really what prompted my post. I 
wouldn't rely on heavy equipment if I didn't feel that it was absolutely 
necessary in this situation. However, Mike has hit the nail right on the 
head. Although I don't feel that it's a good idea to go into too many site 
specific details, I'll suffice it to say we are working within some real 
time, money, and crew constraints. Not to mentions that this area is 
notorious for being home to some pretty brazen collectors with Bobcats. So, 
we are looking to be able to record and collect as much detailed information

as possible (again, I agree, context IS key) as effectively, efficiently, 
and safely as possible. Therefore, I'm hoping that there are a few of you 
HISTARCHer's that might be able to offer some advice, insight, or 
methodology that could aid in data collection.

Sincerely,
Jane


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, March 12, 2006 10:38 PM
Subject: Re: Urban archaeology methods question


> While I can appreciate Ron's appeal to detailed excavation methods, much 
> of
> what one can and cannot do in urban excavations is entirely situational. 
> If
> you have lots of time and lots of money, detailed work is, hands down, 
> most
> important.  That is not usually the case, though, and you have to opt to 
> get the
> highest return for the effort.
>
> We had a situation in Ogden some years ago where we were allowed only a 
> week
> or so to excavate up to 25 privies, ash pits and cultural midden areas in 
> a
> late 19th-early 20th Century residential area.  We put a lot of effort 
> into it,
> but used heavy equipment where we could to expose and dig around the 
> perimeter
> of identified features. We were kicked off of the site before we could 
> finish
> and ended up leaving many privies unexcavated.  They were subsequently
> bulldozed for construction.
>
> While you want to control the context of the data you reteive as much as
> possible, time and money will end up dictating, to some degree, what you 
> can and
> cannot do.
>
> Mike Polk
> Sagebrush Consultants
> Ogden, Utah
>
>
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