12th June 2009, 03:27 PM
Firstly, Being able to wash finds and process samples is ideal to do on site providing you've got the nesecary kit to do so. Obviously units running several sites don't want to duplicate much of that so its easier to do in a centralised location. Also doing this on site can be weather dependent.
Secondly time pressure on most developer led excavations mean all available man hours need to be dedicated to digging, therfore the processing of the finds gets shifted into the post-excavtion process alongside analysis of the finds.]
In an ideal world the finds processing and even some of the analysis could be done on site, and would probably help bridge gaps in interpreting the site between excavation and post-excavation, not to mention prove highly instructional to diggers who can see some of the clean, identified material in the field.
The reluctance is largely down to these logistical and budgetry factors rather than a stubborness to seperate phases of any given project.
Also alot of units leave much of the finds processing to when ther is a lull in field work, so they can keep diggers on to wash and label (but at least it keeps you out of the cold in winter)
Secondly time pressure on most developer led excavations mean all available man hours need to be dedicated to digging, therfore the processing of the finds gets shifted into the post-excavtion process alongside analysis of the finds.]
In an ideal world the finds processing and even some of the analysis could be done on site, and would probably help bridge gaps in interpreting the site between excavation and post-excavation, not to mention prove highly instructional to diggers who can see some of the clean, identified material in the field.
The reluctance is largely down to these logistical and budgetry factors rather than a stubborness to seperate phases of any given project.
Also alot of units leave much of the finds processing to when ther is a lull in field work, so they can keep diggers on to wash and label (but at least it keeps you out of the cold in winter)