Bizarre ditch question time.

[P Prentice]

Resources dedicated to environmental sampling, once costed in, should be used to gain the maximum return for the money/time/effort in the form of useful information about the site? - discuss :face-thinks:

You have a yard? - Seedygirl will be green with envy }

call me old fashioned, but, shouldnt they be used to attmpt to answer the questions posed in the resaerch design?

[P Prentice]

that's why all environmental sample processing should be done on site and should be part of site based costs and time even if it means taking water and tanks to site.

call me old fashioned but - you are aving a laugh!!

[Dinosaur]

call me old fashioned, but, shouldnt they be used to attmpt to answer the questions posed in the resaerch design?

You're old fashioned if you still cling to the belief that most research designs continue to have any validity once the topsoil's off and you can see what's actually on the site. The research design may waffle on about sampling 18th century ditches, but I'm afraid that given the choice I'll be filling the tubs with the Neolithic pit fills and argue the toss later - no one's complained yet

[Sikelgaita]

call me old fashioned, but, if you do the map work first you might save yourself the latter!

OK. Forgetful client rings up, needs an evaluation done tomorrow. Not wanting to let a good customer down you get all the paperwork agreed with client and curators and off you go. Hmm, map research does not come high on the agenda in those circumstances.

[P Prentice]

a basic principle of evaluation let alone archaeology - check your ifa standards and most briefs

[P Prentice]

You're old fashioned if you still cling to the belief that most research designs continue to have any validity once the topsoil's off and you can see what's actually on the site. The research design may waffle on about sampling 18th century ditches, but I'm afraid that given the choice I'll be filling the tubs with the Neolithic pit fills and argue the toss later - no one's complained yet

well if your wsi didnt include sampling every prehistoric feature that turned up it would have to be written by an idiot and approved by an idiot but thats not the point. you can fill your tubs with whatever you like so long as you answer the questions in the research design. my guess would be that if you havent properly costed the project if you dont

[P Prentice]

hi sikelgaita - welcome aboard - i look forward to your opinion

[Sikelgaita]

hi sikelgaita - welcome aboard - i look forward to your opinion

Thanks very much for the welcome.

As you will find I do have some opinions.

[pdurdin]

.... a stainless steel gardening fork is a good bit of kit as well.

for what pray tell?

Keeping the peasants away?

[Dinosaur]

my guess would be that if you havent properly costed the project if you dont

You know perfectly well that plenty of projects go t**s-up on the costings due to exceptional finds not considered by the research design [and often one is handicapped by a research design done by a 3rd party] - as an e.g one little unexpected extra (amongst others) on one of my jobs was 120 Late Roman and Anglo-Saxon graves with around 2000 grave goods, the original research design got binned at that point, as it had completely missed reality...and I don't recall 'Viking burial with stuff' ever appearing in any research design I've ever worked to...