The fieldwork began on April 19, 1976, according to the field notes, and concluded on December 5, 1979 (Drawer 4 Folders:MARTAProject:FieldNotes). The job titles of the personnel in the field notes differ from those associated with the contract documents. Roy S. Dickens, Jr. is listed as Project Director or Principal Investigator for the entire project. In 1976, Gary D. Barber is listed as the Field Supervisor. The Field Archaeologists were William R. Bowen (1977), Linda F. Carnes (1978), and Robin S. Futch (1979). The Assistant Archaeologists were Linda R. Carnes (1977), Joe E. Evans (1978), and Linda H. Worthy (1979). Also
mentioned as Assistant Archaeologist is Gary D. Barber (Bowen and Carnes 1977). There were also student assistants mentioned in the reports: Student field assistants Jane Bacon and Elton Gannaway (Bowen and Carnes 1977), and students who volunteered time James H. Chapman, Caroline Quillian, Alan Sims, Linda Worthy, Charles Traylor, Paula Edmiston, Fontaine Draper, Gerald Gandy, Sarah Hill, Thomas Barker, and Patricia Rogers (Carnes and Dickens 1979).
The field notes included in the documents of the MARTA Collection were written on lined legal pads, some of them had yellow backgrounds and others white. Each legal pad would be used to completion and then a new one was initiated. There were no initials associated with
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the entries, only dates. There were occasionally names mentioned in the notes, usually pertaining to crew members who were picked up on the way to the site.
Found within the records and documents are two lists that give an idea of how the fieldwork was conducted (Drawer 4:Folder: MARTA Project:Misc. Notes:Field Procedures). There are no names or initials located on the papers or the folders and the information is handwritten in pencil on 4x6 inch lined paper. Both lists consist of seven points. The first list appears to be steps to take for survey, and it is replicated below using the same abbreviations and vernacular.
1) Secure acquisition maps
2) Head Eng. Phase B. N. Line - Bill Medley S. Line - Earl Nelson. Subcontractors tell what
property can get onto and when…scheduling…utility relocation, etc.
3) Demolition or removal of a structure. Try to photograph bldgs. before removal.
4) After clearance: subsurface collect, surface collect, probe for wells, etc. according to hist. data.
5) Suspect military activity - metal detect. (form of subsurface testing)
6) Survey forms compiled
7) Monitor all earth-moving activity - depending on significance of area.
The second list appears to be steps to take with a site: at top of page “site discovered in field - first hand info. [we do site forms.]
1) What county?
2) Go to county index (archival) (beginning point for recording) area, or name, or
description
3) Must be recorded
a. Fulton cty. Hwy map - archival - specific to county
b. USGS topography maps (quad map) (archival - names of regions field)
4) Collections: when have this
a. Photographs
b. Surface collection (artifacts)
5) Fill out pencil copy of form: include sketch map on back, more recent collections can be
added to original forms.
a. Map for official site form, filed in notebook by cty. Includes map of county hwy.
map & sketch map.
6) For MARTA, have survey forms, used in same way as site form. Unique to MARTA to
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Although urban archaeological projects had been conducted prior to the MARTA excavations (Dickens and Crimmons 1982:105-113), the procedures and methodology were in their infancy, so there were not any standard procedures to guide the project. The archaeology team worked with the engineer and construction teams. The project area consisted of the right- of-way designated by the engineers. These areas were divided into CCUs, each of which might have a different contractor overseeing the work (Bowen and Carnes 1977:25). As mentioned above, the survey techniques included surface inspection, auger and shovel testing, metal detection, as well as ‘salvage’ archaeology. According to the reports, surface inspection was conducted over the entire project area with at least two people walking 5-foot intervals (Bowen and Carnes 1977:26; Carnes and Dickens 1979:17; Futch et al. 1980:16); however, according to the field notes and photographs, surface inspection often involved walking behind heavy
machinery and collecting the materials as they were disturbed through the earthmoving activities (Figure 3.4). If extant structures were located in the project area, surface inspection was
Figure 3.4 Surface collecting in soil disturbed by grader (Carnes and Dickens 1979:18, Figure 2).
Figure 3.5 Examining dirt extracted by soil auger (Carnes and Dickens 1979:20, Figure 5).Figure 3.4 Surface collecting in soil disturbed by grader (Carnes and Dickens 1979:18, Figure 2).
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conducted after demolition. The subsurface investigations were also conducted in all areas and included auger testing at uniform intervals and occasionally the use of backhoe excavations for deeper testing (Bowen and Carnes 1997:28; Carnes and Dickens 1979:17; Futch et al. 1980:16) (Figure 3.5). Metal detection was not used systematically but in a sampling manner due to its time- consuming process (Bowen and Carnes 1997:30; Carnes and Dickens 1979:21; Futch et al. 1980:18) (Figure 3.6). The monitoring process is closely associated with ‘salvage’ archaeology and involves the continued inspection of an area throughout the demolition and construction phases of a project, during which sites can be discovered that were not found in the initial
investigations (Bowen and Carnes 1997:32-33; Carnes and Dickens 1979:21-22; Futch et al. 1980:18) (Figure 3.7). ‘Extraordinary mitigation’ would occur when it became necessary to perform ‘salvage excavations’ on sites that were discovered during construction and in immediate threat of destruction (Carnes and Dickens 1979:24; Futch et al. 1980:18).
Figure 3.5 Examining dirt extracted by soil auger (Carnes and Dickens 1979:20, Figure 5).
Figure 3.6 Using metal detector to locate subsurface metal objects (Carnes and Dickens 1979:20, Figure 6).
Figure 3.7 Monitoring MARTA excavations at a congested urban intersection (Carnes and Dickens 1979:23, Figure 8).Figure 3.6 Using metal detector to locate
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The conditions under which these excavations and surveys were conducted created challenges and difficulties to the archaeological teams. The following excerpt from the 1977 field notes illustrates how the archaeologist was monitoring multiple locations concurrently, as well as how the earthmoving activities were constantly changing the landscape.
7-1-77 - Rowe on vacation/cruised in on East Line - several areas to be checked. Picked up Polly and went back out to East line - In CCU 315 they have rerouted traffic away from the newly opened Dekalb Ave. - At the NW Corner of East Lake and Dekalb they are smoothing out fill that has recently been dumped. At the East Lake underpass they are hauling out dirt and excavating under RR bridge. Still in 315 and near the S.C.L. R.R. spur - they were excavating for a new water main - checked profile - nothing unusual noted. Just east of R.R. spur - checked Ga. Power Co. excavation - again nothing.
CCU170 - surface examined freshly graded area S. of Da. Ave, between Connecticut and Ariz Ave. Underpass (old street surface of Da. Ave.) - nothing collected or unusual features noted.
CCU170 - between Clifton west to LaFrance - surface collected in freshly cleared area - S. of Da. Ave. and N. of R.R. track - collected only a few recent ceramic frags. 11:00 - cruised the North Line - only new area opened was at the intersection of Linden and W. Pchtree. Profile reflected recent asphalting over old concrete surface. (Drawer 4 Folder:MARTAProject:FieldNotes:June28-August5,1977:Original).
Figure 3.7 Monitoring MARTA excavations at a congested urban intersection (Carnes and Dickens 1979:23, Figure 8).
Figure 3.8 Checking field recovered artifacts into the laboratory (Bowens and Carnes 1977:40, Figure 12).Figure 3.7 Monitoring MARTA excavations at a congested urban intersection (Carnes and Dickens 1979:23, Figure 8).
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The formal reports written for the MARTA Project present a picture of a systematic and consistent methodology of survey and excavation; however, it is the field notes that illuminate the realities and challenges that were faced by the archaeologists on this job. The hoping back and forth from one location to another, excavating sites that were discovered after large earth- moving equipment had altered the landscape, and dealing with different engineers and
contractors at each location were daily events that affected the process of these excavations. The continuity and completeness of the final projects are a testament to the professionalism and dedication of the archaeologists on this endeavor.