5.2.1 Project Outline for watching brief (PS04) Explanatory notes
It is possible that during the fieldwork new facts or changed views call for a revised research design (incl. analysis, conservation). Such decisions always need the approval of the competent authority that has approved the original Project Outline.
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 The minimum applicable requirements are: Introduction
• Administrative data.
• Selection recommendations (which state, among other things, known archaeological values, predictive model).
Selection decision. Research questions
• Specific questions which have to be answered by the project.
• Relation with existing research programmes: possibilities for cooperation. Operationalisation
The Project Outline must also indicate a number of practical implementation guidelines. The Project Outline provides:
• details on the reasons for using the prescribed method of working in connection with the method of operation used for the planned soil-destructive activity;
• a description of the planned intervention (size and depth);
• the exact limit of the area to be monitored (including a map in the event of multiple usage);
• a description of the method of working and research 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; • the size of the field team;
• explicit information on how the executing party has to act as soon as the presence of find-spots worth preserving is determined (procedure).
Schedule
• Completion deadline, in agreement with the developer, taking into account legal requirements on providing information, depositing, and publication
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 of
this Quality Standard (see Chapter 1, table 2) 4
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]
• 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
The Project Outline indicates whether, in the event that a site worth preserving is discovered, the competent authority wishes to take a new selection decision, or states, in advance, which follow-up activities (excavation, protecting, rescue procedure) the developer should take into account.
Results
• Answering the research questions. 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.
5.2.2 Compiling a work plan and determining the work procedure with the principal (AB01) Explanatory notes
The work plan is a concrete schedule for the implementation of the fieldwork and is used by the archaeological contractor as a scenario for the implementation of the watching brief in the field. If the tender complies with the following requirements, no work plan will have to be drawn up. Instead, the tender can function as a work plan and be referred to as such. Process description
Compiling a work plan and corresponding safety plan based on the Project Outline and, if present, the project design or specifications. The arrangement of responsibilities and authorities with the principal.
Products • Work plan. • Work procedures. 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 Work plan
The agreements and procedures applicable to all the aspects must correspond to the Project Outline or possibly the project design and specifications if available.
Administrative data
Formulation of the research questions
List of the people and bodies involved in the execution of the watching brief
List of the people involved in the implementation (competent authority, principal, archaeological contractor) showing functions, responsibilities, authorities and contacts. Agreements relating to the consultations between the principal and the archaeological contractor
• Schedule with regard to consultation structure. Plan for the implementation of work in the field
• Description of the work, the project structure and method.
• Indication of decision moments as regards follow-up activities and/or contract variations.
Work procedure
The work procedure must include the following items: • Regulations referring to site access.
• Implementation procedure.
• Schedule of work to be carried out and arrangements for the implementation of the watching brief, incl. times at which meetings are to be held with the principal and a statement of ‘critical moments’. Moments at which decisions have to be taken in
consultation with the competent authority.
• Public information procedure on behalf of different parties involved concerning the nature and method of implementation of the watching brief.
• References to decision-making procedure in the case of unforeseen archaeological values, incl. references to people with authority to decide (name, job, location, telephone numbers) and these people’s deputies in the event of their being absent.
• Method of reporting to the competent authority and principal. • Arrangements for stopping non-archaeological operations. • Method of reporting to the competent authority, see AB03. Schedule • Staffing. • Time. • Resources. Permits Risk analysis Safety plan
Conservation design for the archaeological basis
5.2.3 Observations during non-archaeological soil-interventions (AB02) Explanatory notes
A programme of formal observations is conducted for non-archaeological soil-interventions. Uncovering any archaeological remains present, with the exclusion of work which is strictly essential for the acquisition of the data referred to under AB03, is not included in the watching brief objective. Finds and sample material must only be collected on an indicative basis, that is as much as is necessary for the acquisition of the information referred to below.
Process description
Carrying out a programme of formal observations during non-archaeological soil- interventions.
Products
• Conclusions about the presence or absence of archaeological values within the framework of a specific soil-intervention.
Actors
• The Medior Archaeologist is responsible for observations during non-archaeological soil- destructive activities.
• The Senior Archaeologist checks whether the observations have been carried out properly and completely.
Requirements with regard to resources
When carrying out observations during the implementation of a watching brief, a distinction can be made between the way in which any archaeological remains present have to be observed and a general spatial classification of the observations carried out.
As far as the implementation of the observations is concerned, the general spatial classification comprises five categories:
1. Archaeological values observed in situ. 2. No archaeological values observed in situ.
3. No archaeological values observed as a consequence of the fact that the soil-intervention or part thereof could not be monitored.
4. No archaeological values observed as a consequence of the fact that the soil- intervention was not monitored.
5. Stray find. For example, when examining a dump in an area which is subject to a watching brief, mobilia may be encountered which are no longer in situ and whose origin is therefore unclear.
When observing archaeological values, a distinction is made between four categories: 1. Isolated feature.
3. A single find or sample.
4. An (arbitrary) collection unit of finds. 5.2.4 Notification of competent authority (AB03)
Process description
The competent authority is informed immediately if archaeological values that are potentially worth preserving are encountered, with a view to follow-up activities which might be required as a result.
Products
• Notification of the competent authority. Actors
• The Senior Archaeologist notifies the competent authority and records this.
• The Senior Archaeologist checks whether the notification has been carried out and recorded correctly.
Requirements with regard to resources
• If archaeological values worth preserving are discovered, this must be reported immediately.
• The way in which notification takes place and the proof of receipt must be recorded. 5.2.5 Recording observations (AB04)
Explanatory notes
The data are recorded in order to allow a judgement to be made concerning the nature, extent, period and quality of the observed archaeological values. Deliberately, no standards guidelines are formulated concerning the method of registration, for example by means of drawings or in any other way. The possibilities are determined by the nature, extent and speed of the non-archaeological operation and the possibilities for the implementation of a watching brief.
Process description
Recording archaeological observations during the implementation of a watching brief. Products
• Recorded observations. Actors
• The Medior Archaeologist records the observations.
• The Senior Archaeologist checks whether the observations have been recorded correctly.
Requirements with regard to resources
When recording observations, a distinction has to be made between the way in which the observation categories described under AB03 are registered and the archaeological values that might be present.