Where fieldwork is unavoidable, Phoenix Consulting can arrange all required works to ensure the fulfilment of any archaeological planning conditions.
Field Evaluation
A field evaluation could require a number of different techniques.
Trial Trenching: excavation of trenches to identify the presence/absence of archaeology along with its nature and importance.
Fieldwalking: systematic collection of surface artefacts to locate possible concentrations of archaeological activity.
Earthwork survey: measured survey of earthwork features to record their form, extent and level of survival.
Field boundary survey: survey of field boundaries to establish their form, function and age.
Test Pitting: excavation of smaller test pits to identify archaeological deposits and limited investigation of their nature.
Augering: auger survey to test nature and depths of archaeological/ environmental deposits
Geophysical Surveys
A number of different non-intrusive techniques can be employed to identify buried archaeological deposits from the existing ground surface.
Resistivity survey: based upon relative inability of materials to conduct an electrical current, this technique can detect wall foundations and pits and ditches, depending on their moisture content.
Magnetometry survey: records magnetic properties of soils and deposits and can be used to identify buried archaeological remains.
Ground penetrating radar (GPR): this technique records a signal reflected off buried deposits and can provide a three dimensional view of a buried site.
Air Photo Surveys
Examination of vertical and oblique aerial photographs that record sites as cropmarks. This information can be used to produce a rectified cropmark plot, to identify where archaeological features may survive on the ground.
Excavations
Archaeological excavations can take a number of forms depending on the particular site. They are usually required to preserve an archaeological site ‘by record' prior to its development. Generally, all archaeological features are recorded and sample excavated, with artefacts retained and environmental samples taken for later investigation.
Palaeo-environmental analysis
The palaeo-environmental analysis of a site is usually designed to recover information about its former environment and site formation. It can also give an indication of the function of a site. Examination of pollen, seed remains, insects, molluscs, animal bones and other environmental information can all contribute to our understanding of former environments.
Watching brief
Watching briefs are usually a programme of observation and investigation during development, such as excavation of foundation/service trenches and soil stripping. They normally take place when there is a low potential of encountering archaeological remains.
Strip, map & sample
This exercise is carried out when large areas are stripped of soils down to the archaeological horizon. This is carried out under archaeological supervision and any archaeology identified is mapped. Following the mapping exercise a decision is made to sample, excavate and record the archaeological deposits encountered. Where sites are subject to a programme of strip, map and sample, it is not usually required to carry out a field evaluation prior to this.
Garden Archaeology
A variety of archaeological techniques, including geophysical survey, excavation and documentary research, can be used to identify former garden plans or landscapes.
Reporting
Phoenix Consulting provide the appropriate, fully illustrated reports, following fieldwork, to fulfil the requirements of a planning application or planning determination. Where necessary, leading specialists are commissioned to comment upon artefacts or environmental evidence.
