Excavation History and Types

Excavation process basically involves the removal of any topsoil overload by machine. This material might be examined by metal detector for drift finds but unless the preparation site has stayed untouched since its rejection there is perpetually a layer of current material on the surface of partial archaeological interest. In countryside areas, any features are frequently noticeable beneath the surface as opposed to city areas where there might be thick layers of human deposits and as well the only the highest contexts would be primarily be visible and definable by ways of isolation from few other contexts. A plan for sampling the contexts and other features is formulation that might engage total excavation of each characteristic or only portion.


The growth of excavation methods has moved over the years from a wealth hunting process to one that wants to fully understand the series of human activity on a given site and which site's relationship with the surroundings in which it is set and further with sites elsewhere.

Its history started with a simple search for wealth and for artifacts that fell into the group of 'curio'. These curios were the topic of most interest of antiquarians. It was later respected, which digging on a site shattered the proof of earlier people's lives that it had contained. Once the trinket had been detached from its context, most of the information it detained was lost. It was from this understanding, which antiquarianism started to be replaced by archaeology,a process yet to be completed.

Basic Types of Excavation


There are two basic types of modern archaeological excavation:

1. Research excavation -When time and resources are obtainable to excavate the site fully and at a relaxed pace. These are now approximately completely the preserve of academics or concealed societies who could even muster sufficient volunteer labor and funds. The size of the excavation could as well be determined by the director as it goes on.

2. Development-led excavation - Undertaken by expert archaeologists when the site is endangered by building development. Normally funded by the developer meaning, which time is more of a factor as well as its being paid attention only on areas to be affected by building.