28th October 2005, 11:24 AM
I really like the field guide to excavation of human remains. I've excavated well over a hundred individuals so far and still learned a few things. (I've also had good osteo training)
I'd really like to see these become the definitive guides, but can't see it happening as long as units tender for excavating, lifting and recording 2 burials a day. (An extreme example) Even the better sites where a full day is allowed per burial make it probably the hardest work you can do in the field. I particularly hate rushing to lift skelly's at the end of a day after laboriously cleaning, planning, sampling etc. and it coming up in many more than 206 bits. Gutting.
I can only console myself that I'm doing a better job than the arch units that like to covertly clear parts of cemeteries with JCB's, which I've seen happen twice.
I'd really like to see these become the definitive guides, but can't see it happening as long as units tender for excavating, lifting and recording 2 burials a day. (An extreme example) Even the better sites where a full day is allowed per burial make it probably the hardest work you can do in the field. I particularly hate rushing to lift skelly's at the end of a day after laboriously cleaning, planning, sampling etc. and it coming up in many more than 206 bits. Gutting.
I can only console myself that I'm doing a better job than the arch units that like to covertly clear parts of cemeteries with JCB's, which I've seen happen twice.