IfA Survey and measured recording survey

[BAJR]

The process of survey and measured recording of archaeology is a vital part of understanding and protecting historic remains. The creation of a permanent record is essential in providing a storable archive for archaeology and a dataset for the benefit of current and future research.

Often this record might be the only data which is attributed to a site and the quality of that record is, therefore, all the more important. For that record to fulfil both its function and potential it has to be complete, accurate, unambiguous and of appropriate quality. In addition all archive data should be accessible and preserved under the correct conditions.

How to take part

In order to provide understanding and support for those undertaking archaeological measured survey and recording, and to raise the profile of those recording archaeological sites, we have developed a questionnaire aimed at those working in this area. We would be grateful if you could complete this online survey by August 1 2012.

Follow this link to take part in the survey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/archaeolo...red_survey
[URL="https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/archaeological_measured_survey"]
[/URL]If you would like to receive a hard copy of this survey to complete, please contact <admin@archaeologists.net> with your name and address and we will post one out to you.

Your answers will be confidential and not passed on to anyone or shared with any organisation without your permission.

The intention of the survey is to help us to provide better support and service for those involved in archaeological survey and recording and to achieve the following objectives; ? to raise the profile of archaeological survey and recording within the industry

• ? to raise the profile and status of those carrying out survey and measured recording within the archaeological sector
  
• ? to provide up to date information and support to those carrying out these tasks
  
• ? to introduce method standardisation and raise quality across the profession
  
• ? to facilitate communication between those involved in archaeological survey and recording, and other specialists
  

If you have any comments or ideas about how achieve these objectives, please contact us at <issig@archaeologists.net> or <groups@archaeologists.net>.

Amanda Forster PhD MIfA
Standards Promotion Manager, Institute for Archaeologists

[Unitof1]

isnt all field archaeology mapping.

[P Prentice]

it should be
not sure what the point of this survey is
anybody?

[BAJR]

It is looking at how much activity people at different levels have in way of input into various survey techniques and what they are from tape to aerial from topo survey to laser and simple site recording with an EDM to a building record.

You are right that measured survey is what we should do. but who does what and how often?

[Wax]

It lists a very wide range of methods and technologies but does not ask the fundemental question "Do you understand basic survey principles?" . It is very easy to use a Total Station or other high tech piece of kit but without understanding basic principals you do not know what are the most appropriate methods or the problems you might be building into your survey. Just cause it looks good dont mean it is accurate. How many know how to define or work within defined accuracies, and I do not mean those built in by the scale at which you plot the finished result.

It is far too easy for archaeologists to think they are surveyors just because they can set out a grid with a tape and set up a total station.:face-stir:

I suppose by asking the question of what levels of training people would like it is attempting to quantify what trainning might be needed. :face-huh:

[Unitof1]

I can say that I understand what the relevance of Publication, PR and outreach, Analysis and report writing or how ticking a box for never to continuos makes any sense.

Landscape (terrain, contour, location)
A) Level of activity (0 = never, 5 = continuous)*Landscape (terrain, contour, location) A) Level of activity (0 = never, 5 = continuous) 0
A) Level of activity (0 = never, 5 = continuous) 1
A) Level of activity (0 = never, 5 = continuous) 2
A) Level of activity (0 = never, 5 = continuous) 3
A) Level of activity (0 = never, 5 = continuous) 4
A) Level of activity (0 = never, 5 = continuous) 5
B) Information needed (0 = none, 5 = urgently required)B) Information needed (0 = none, 5 = urgently required) 0
B) Information needed (0 = none, 5 = urgently required) 1
B) Information needed (0 = none, 5 = urgently required) 2
B) Information needed (0 = none, 5 = urgently required) 3
B) Information needed (0 = none, 5 = urgently required) 4
B) Information needed (0 = none, 5 = urgently required) 5
C) Training needed (0 = none, 5 = urgently required)C) Training needed (0 = none, 5 = urgently required) 0
C) Training needed (0 = none, 5 = urgently required) 1
C) Training needed (0 = none, 5 = urgently required) 2
C) Training needed (0 = none, 5 = urgently required) 3
C) Training needed (0 = none, 5 = urgently required) 4

well thats helps

[BAJR]

Good point Wax.

[Unitof1]

[B]Amanda Forster PhD MIfA[/B]
Standards Promotion Manager, Institute for Archaeologists

if you have got one of these then you are going to need standards for everything to justify ones existance althought it might be interesrting to find out who the parents were.

Heres a survey question: should you put your meefer befor your peehDfor or could you go for Dr Standards Promotion Manager meefer

oneday-will we see an assistant Standards Promotion Manager -hooooo

[kevin wooldridge]

[quote=P Prentice]it should be
not sure what the point of this survey is
anybody?[/QUOTE

It seems to me that establishing good survey practice and using good survey equipment is basically a matter of investment both in training and hardware and of course appointing a suitably qualified and experienced specialist to oversee the investment. And I can't imagine that plane tabling will be very high on the list of priorities...Imagine a survey into car use that asked a question about your experience of travelling on horseback....well I'm tempted to check the calendar or ask if this is some other non Aprill Fools day piss take?

[Wax]

All the methods and technologies listed are well understood in other "survey" professions. The standards being set by the RICS. Archaeology survey can appear very "amateur" compared to the professional survey standards of civil engineers etc. Don't get me wrong there are some extremely good archaeological surveyors out there but they have usually acknowledged their short comings and gone off and got some professional survey training. The EH survey department also had good professional surveyors with a high level of training (do they still exist?).

I have picked up some incredibly bad survey habits as an archaeologist mainly because I got fed up with people not listening when I tried to explain why their chosen method of recording was not appropriate. And what is the fascination with physically setting a grid out over a site with tape measures when you have access to a total station?