Items Used in Archaeology
A variety of items are used in archaeology. Some of these items are very basic while others are high-tech. Usage of modern equipments has enabled researchers to understand the archaeological site in a better manner. The items used in archaeology depend on the stage of the archaeological expeditions. These expeditions involve the following two stages:
- Survey - Searching for potential sites for excavation, and
- Excavation - Identification of three dimensional objects.
Surveying can be of three types:
- Surface Survey - Surface survey does not reveal anything that is buried under the surface of the earth. Neither item overgrown with vegetation gets revealed in surface surveys. Earlier this was only attained by footwork. Today, it often involves using mechanized transport to search for artifacts visible on the surface. It can also involve techniques such as augers, corers and shovel test pits.
- Aerial Survey - To capture information of a large area, or mapping the complexity of a survey area, aerial surveys are used as a preliminary technique. Surveys are conducted with the aid of camera attached to a balloon, aircraft or kites. Vegetation over a stone structure will be less developed than over a soil region, and this can be easily detected by aerial surveys. Photographic observations often reveal visible differences that indicate buried structures in a particular region. Other techniques employed in aerial surveys include infra-red, radar devices (ground penetrating) and thermo-graphical instruments.
- Geophysical Survey - It is the most effective way to identify objects beneath the ground. Magnetometers detect deviations in earth’s magnetic fields caused by iron artifacts, kilns, some types of stone structures, and even ditches and middens. Other devices measuring electrical resistivity of the soil are also used. Soils are generally moist below the surface with low electrical resistivity, whereas, hard stone structures are offer high resistivity. Nowadays, metal detectors are also used for surveying.
Items used in excavation include large mechanical equipments. Backhoes (JCBs) are used to remove the topsoil. The exposed area is then hand-cleaned with trowels or hoes. A site-plan is made, and all excavations are photographed with a camera and recording sheets are filled. Excavation has to be carried out cautiously ensuring that no artifact is damaged during the excavation process.