Archaeology in site investigation

(Contributed by Peter Hinton BA, MIFA, FRSA, FSA, Chief Executive, The Institute of Field Archaeologists – http://www.archaeologists.net.)

Archaeology is the study of the human past through material remains. It shows how people have interacted with their environment and how our present landscape and societies have been shaped. It does this by identifying, managing, investigating and explaining archaeological remains – whether they are buried structures and deposits, or standing buildings and other above-ground structures.

The majority of buried remains with which archaeologists are concerned are found in ‘made ground’ or the upper levels of the underlying geological subsoils. How much survives depends on how the site was used by past human societies, the depth of remains below the modern ground surface, the extent of disturbance by subsequent development and land use, and environmental factors such as groundwater and erosion. Archaeologists do not look just at intact structures and artefacts, they also study subtle changes in the colour or texture of the earth uncovered, and microscopic plant and animal remains. Unique historical information is lost if sites are destroyed without record, so an appropriate site investigation is crucial if informed decisions are to be made about the management and protection of archaeological remains.