A handbook for new diggers?

[Wax]

English Heritage's field archaeology team use to have a very comprehensive site manual perhaps some one should talk to them as well ( do they still exist?)

[CARTOON REALITY]

How does a manual propose to teach new diggers all those lost skills like being able to find the edge of a feature?

A big stick and a threatening tone of voice?

[Ken Denham]

Basic Trig and Geometry used in practical applications. Wish I had a quid for all of them I've met who didn't have a clue how to grid a site out etc.

[Martin Locock]

surveyor's maths- good idea

recording - I think you can't cover all the systems out there, but there are some common themes which can be highlighted (write legibly, reciprocate relationships etc)

digging - I was thinking that the book would provide a handy companion to cover all the things you don't get taught on site. I don't think anyone has ever learned digging from a book.

[dmama]

let me know if you need an illustrator/planner

[Dinosaur]

Basic Trig and Geometry used in practical applications. Wish I had a quid for all of them I've met who didn't have a clue how to grid a site out etc.

Tacheometry using a dumpy level (only do this over short distances!), always a handy fall-back when none of that high-tech stuff's about (or no one's thought to recharge it!), and apparently not taught to the young'uns in college these days

[kevin wooldridge]

Tacheometry..... I have been racking my brains recently about 'old fashioned' survey techniques after reading an English Heritage publication that claimed plane tabling was still a frequently used technique in UK archaeology....I've been a field archaeologist for 32 years and a surveyor for most of that time and I have never seen a plane table in action, perhaps I have been working in all the wrong places!! Likewise tacheometry - measuring distance by use of a dumpy level or theodolite and a survey staff for those young'uns not taught it in college - why would you want to do this if you have a 30m or 50m tape at hand? Anyway I decided after some thought that actually '3-4-5' triangles are the most precise of low-tech survey solutions...so wouldn't bother with any of that old fashioned glass of water and a thimble survey techniques.

As for the person who forgot to charge the batteries of the EDM or total station, I'm guessing that wasn't a surveyor. Those of us who survey for our daily bread, know the agonies of being forced to use any equipment other than our nearest and dearest survey machine and whilst I will admit to occassional breakdowns (both me and machine!!), I never fail to charge the batteries!! ... Clearly this will be one of the shortest chapters of the proposed manual....'Want to do archaeological survey efficiently and effectively - then employ an archaeological surveyor who knows how to look after the measuring kit and all your Christmasses willl arrive at once' 'Can't afford expensive equipment - use 3-4-5 triangles instead' er....thats it!!

[Unitof1]

do people still use surveying in archaeology?

[vulpes]

do people still use surveying in archaeology?

Apparently Dinosaur has his own chains.

[BAJR]

In relation to this. Maggie and I were discussing taking dumpy levels and she made the point that many excavations now have a person who pops in and zaps points sections and the like. and so would this be teaching a redundant technology. That said, I also know how to do a plane table survey - not that I would use it for a commercial job... and feel that before people are let loose with GPS smart systems - they have to understand the concepts of survey. and I would not mind a return to specialists such as photographers, site draughtspeople, environmental, osteo, finds etc... but as a digger, one should have a broad understanding of all these.

I ain't getting rid of my dumpy yet! But as Bench Marks are no longer maintained am I trying to push back the waves?