6.2.1 Project Outline for excavation (PS05) Explanatory notes
Notification by the competent authority to the principal or the intended executing party (archaeological contractor), which refers to the preservation value of the site and the necessity of excavation work in the event that the site cannot be preserved. In addition, requirements are formulated and provisions laid down with which the activities have to comply.
Process description
Drawing up a Project Outline based on the available data. Products
• Project Outline. Actors
• The Senior Archaeologist compiles the Project Outline with the appropriate specialists being consulted on specific issues.
Requirements with regard to resources
Project Outline
The minimum applicable requirements are: Introduction
• Administrative data pertaining to the find-spot. • Period and type of monument.
• Status of site.
• Selection recommendations. Selection decision.
Research questions
• Specific questions which have to be answered via the excavation. • Relation with existing research programmes: possibilities for cooperation.
• Determining the complexity of the excavation in accordance with the “complexity” guidelines (Appendix I).
Operationalisation (work to be carried out)
The Project Outline must also indicate a number of practical implementation guidelines. The Project Outline provides:
• motives for recommending the excavation method(s);
• a description of the minimum size of the sections of the find-spot(s) to be excavated: surface, number of levels, number of sections (possibly including a map);
• a description of the method of working and excavation strategy to be used, in so far as these differ from the standard procedures;
• indications with regard to quality and quantity of the specialist research. Schedule
• Completion deadline, in agreement with the developer, taking into account legal requirements on providing information, depositing, and publication
Provisions relating to interim evaluation of the project design or research proposal • Determining the evaluation moments.
• Who is to be involved on behalf of the competent authority (usually the compiler of the Project Outline).
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The explanatory notes to standards guidelines sometimes include recommendations, assumptions or a discussion of the choices made.
Symbols used on drawings are shown in table 9 and are based on:
Veldhandboek ROB (1996): Procedure voor de registratie en het beheer van veldwerkgegevens [Procedure for
the registration and management of fieldwork data];
Arnold Carmiggelt (1998): Kruisende sporen, Handleiding voor amateur-archeologen in Nederland. Uitgeverij Matrijs [a guide for amateur-archaeologists in the Netherlands].
Codes are referred to in:
Brandt et. al. (1992): Archeologisch Basisregister (ABR), Archeologische begrippen die in het landelijk archeologisch informatiesysteem ARCHIS gehanteerd worden [Archaeological concepts used in the national archaeological information system ARCHIS]
• After evaluation, a decision will be taken on the basis of joint consultations as to whether the original project design or research proposal is to be deviated from during the implementation phase.
Provisions relating to quality control
• The executing party is a certified company or a company that is permitted to carry out the intended work in accordance with the prevailing legislation and regulations. • The qualified people involved in the archaeological work must meet the requirements
from this Quality Standard (see Chapter 1, table 2).
• Supervisor: the relevant competent authority, the developer or a managing body acting on behalf of the developer (or on behalf of both). Names of manager(s) and supervisor(s).
Other provisions and conditions Results
• The results expected from the excavation project. Assessment
• The manner in which the competent authority assesses the results achieved against the Project Outline.
Literature and documentation list
• Literature and files consulted when drawing up the Project Outline. 6.2.2 Work plan (OS19)
Explanatory notes
The work plan is a concrete schedule for the preparation and execution of the fieldwork and for the analysis of the data. It is used in the field by the executing party as an excavation handbook. If a tender is issued for the project to be carried out and this complies with the following requirements, a reference to this tender will suffice.
Process description
The compiling of a work plan and corresponding safety plan based on the Project Outline and, if present, the project design or specifications.
Products • Work plan. Actors
• The Medior Archaeologist draws up the work plan.
• The Senior Archaeologist checks whether the work plan has been correctly drawn up. If correct, the Senior Archaeologist will initial the work plan.
Requirements with regard to resources Plan of Approach
The agreements and procedures applicable to all the aspects must correspond to the Project Outline and possibly the project design and specifications, if available.
Administrative data
List of the people and bodies involved in the work
References to contacts, roles and responsibilities. List of subcontractors.
Plan with regard to consultations between the principal and the archaeological contractor Plan for the implementation of fieldwork
• Description of the work.
• An indication of decision moments with regard to contract variations. Schedule
• Staffing. • Time. • Resources.
Plan for the taking of samples
• Basic agreements for the taking of samples (per relevant category). • Plan of action for exceptional circumstances (consultation specialist). Plan for the screening
• The location of the sieving work. • Agreements on the use of water.
• Agreements on the soil depot. Post-excavation research design Permits
Risk analysis Safety plan
Model for the layout of the archaeological base camp
6.2.3 Site grid, derived measuring system and fixed NAP height (OS01) Explanatory notes
The site grid must be measured into the national system of coordinates. This must be carried out by qualified surveyors6. Field technicians employed by an archaeological contractor can, of course, complete the same training course in order to qualify. Derived grid points may be set out and measured-in by unqualified surveyors.
Standards are set at the minimum level. It is for this reason that it is not specified that a benchmark has to be made of steel. In certain cases it can be made from a different material. This is left to the discretion of the responsible person or the certified company. The same applies to the fixing of a NAP height.
The standard for GPS measurements has not yet been defined, because at the time of writing this technique and its precision are subject to considerable change. However, when a GPS is used, the accuracy of coordinates must be certified.
Process description
The setting out and recording of a local measuring system. Fitting the site grid points in the national grid system. The setting out and recording of excavation trenches and fixed NAP heights.
Products
• Grid points (standards guideline relating to land surveying). • Grid points map.
• Main grid points and benchmarks. • Trenches and site grid map. • Fixed NAP heights. • Report (measuring system). Actors
• Qualified surveyors will measure the grid points and fixed NAP heights.
• The Senior Field Technician will set out the site grid and derived measuring system. • The Senior Field Technician or land surveyor checks whether the measuring system has
been plotted out correctly by repeating the measurements. Requirements with regard to resources
Grid points (SUF-standard NEN 1878)
The grid points map will always include the following data: • drawing identification (OS04);
• coordinates (indicated by means of symbol, see Table 9);
• the national coordinates are determined to a precision of 30 mm, the derived measuring points (with regard to the grid point) to a precision of less than 30 mm;
• report;
• the map is assigned a map number (see OS04).
Site grid
• Relate main grid points to grid points. • The main grid points are marked in the field.
• The site grid has at least 2 main grid points with a maximum distance of 50 m.
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Requirements with regard to surveyors - HBO [Higher Vocational Education] training;
- work to be executed in accordance with the: Land Registry Handbook of Technical Work;
- SUF Standard NEN 1878 (Information Science Advisory Council): data must be supplied in accordance with this standard.
• The coordinates are determined to a precision of 30 mm, the derived measuring points (in relation to the grid point) to a precision of less than 30 mm.
• Report.
Trenches and site grid map
The trenches and site grid map will always include the following data: • drawing identification (OS04);
• main grid points (by means of symbols [Table 9], with national coordinates). The coordinates are determined to a precision of 30 mm. The derived measuring points (with regard to the grid point) to a precision of 30 mm;
• main zero point (the most south-western main survey point of the datum line; indicated on the drawing by means of symbol [Table 9] and grid national coordinates);
• fixed NAP heights [for symbols see Table 9];
• excavation units (trench circumference and numbers);
• grid points (indicated by means of symbol [Table 9] and with grid point coordinates); • report.
NAP heights (see requirements relating to land surveyors)
• Levelling in urban areas by adopting level mark and a continuous measurement or measurements from two fixed points.
• GPS measurement in rural areas using at least 5 satellites, a free horizon. • The NAP heights are determined to a precision of less than 30 mm. • Implementation of at least 2 fixed NAP heights.
• Implementation on securely anchored location.
• Regular calibration of the NAP height (1x per two weeks and upon completion of the excavation).
• Indication on trenches and site grid map.
• Heights are expressed in whole centimetres + (plus) or - (minus) NAP. 6.2.4 Laying out excavation levels (OS02)
Explanatory notes
When creating excavation levels, a great many factors have to be taken into account. The expertise of the leading archaeologist is of considerable importance. The standards guideline only records a number of basic procedures. The point of departure is that the form and interpretation of the contexts and structures have to be established by the leading archaeologist. Thereafter, drawing and documentation work can be carried out by a technician or assistant. That is the reason for the rule that contexts have to be marked out (by the Medior Archaeologist) before they are drawn.
Process description
Creating a legible (interpretable) excavation level. Products
• A legible (interpretable) excavation level. • Fixed benchmarks/base lines.
Actors
• The Senior Field Technician and/or Junior Archaeologist will create the excavation level and add the benchmarks.
• The Medior Archaeologist checks whether the excavation level has been correctly created.
Requirements with regard to resources
Laying out levels
• Create level preferably stratigraphically;
• In the case of excavations in which metal objects are expected, the level first has to be searched using a metal detector;
• Make level legible (manually or mechanised) before drawing; • Mark out contexts before drawing;
• Position benchmarks in the trenches in such a way that the base lines are no more than 3 metres apart.
6.2.5 Collection and registration of finds and samples (OS03) Explanatory notes
When collecting, a distinction is made between general, complex and vulnerable finds and samples (see below). The archaeologist decides what is complex. This might, for example, mean burials, organic material, exceptional finds (glass, metal). The standard described here does not include those finds because in such cases a specialist has, in principle, to be contacted.
Wherever standards guidelines are included for common types of complex finds, such as burials, this is done in order to lay down a number of standard procedures which always have to be complied with. This makes it possible to carry out specialist research at a later date.
Deviations from the standard can be set out in the Project Outline.
Finds and samples cover all materials that have been wholly or partially removed from the soil for the purpose of further evaluation. This concept covers three categories:
1. General finds: Non-vulnerable and non-complex finds, such as pottery, metal, glass, natural stone, etc.
2. Vulnerable finds: Vulnerable finds are finds of organic material (textiles, leather, wood), but may also consist of metal and glass. Vulnerable means that the stability and the condition of the material is not guaranteed without measures being taken.
3. Complex finds: Complex finds are finds that either have to be extracted in context or whose size means that they cannot be extracted whole but only in parts, for example a complete skeleton or a boat.
4. Samples: Because of their nature, samples are always treated as vulnerable or complex finds.
The characteristics of samples are:
• that they are the result of a random check, that is they constitute a representative part of a larger whole;
• that the sample is normally embedded in a different material, for example soil, meaning that it is not or scarcely visible without processing;
• that the nature, size, etc. of the sample is determined by the objective for which the sample is taken, for example botanical analysis, dendrochronology, chemical analysis, pedological analysis (thin sections), C14 analysis, etc.
Note: The requirements relating to resources imposed on vulnerable and/or complex finds or samples are identical and are treated jointly below.
When collecting finds and samples, the publication Archeologie Leidraad 1: Veldhandleiding archeologie (ISSN: 1570-6206) can be used as guidance. For the different categories, a reference is made to the corresponding chapter in this publication.
Process description
Collecting and registering material (finds and samples) when creating or excavating a level. Products • Finds. • Finds list. • Samples. • Samples list. • Photographic records. Actors
• The Junior Archaeologist collects and registers the general finds.
• The appropriate Senior Specialist collects and registers the vulnerable or complex finds and samples or advises as to how these are to be collected.
• The Medior Archaeologist checks whether the finds and samples have been correctly processed and registered.
• An appropriate specialist must be consulted in the case of decisions relating to matters that deviate from the rule (such as sampling, packing and transporting, etc.).
Requirements with regard to resources
Find number
• A unique number that consists of a unique combination of data (for example trench number + level number + serial number) or a single but unique number.
• Find numbers must always be linked to the measuring system, or it must be possible to do so (via the field drawing or a context number).
Finds and sample label
• The label must be made of weather and temperature proof, acid-free, sturdy material. • The printing on the label must be resistant to scratching, light-fast and water-resistant. • Labels are filled in with a light-fast and water-resistant ink or using a special pencil in the
case of a plastic label.
Information on finds and samples label
The finds label will record the following information (in so far as applicable): • national registration number;
• work reference = Site Identification Code (optional);
• trench number (number of the trench from which the find or sample has come); • section number (number of the section, the segment or the grid cell from which the find
or the sample has come);
• level number (number of the level from which the find or sample has come); • serial number (identification number of the find or sample);
• context number (number of the context from which the find or sample has come); • codes to be included on the finds label, see ABR.
Instead of trench, section, level and serial number, a unique find number may also be sufficient. In the event that a barcode is used, a reference to the find number will suffice.
Finds list • Find number. • Material category. • Sort of finds. • Trench number. • Level number. • Serial number. • Context number. • Drawing number. Samples list • Sample number. • Sort of sample. • Trench number. • Level number. • Serial number. • Context number. • Drawing number.
A. Collecting material (in general)