Procedures and Processes

CRM Phases I-III

Phase I: Reconnaissance Survey

Phase IReconnaissance Survey

Just where are you, anyway?

Kinds of Maps Used for SurveyUSGS Topographic Maps

Kinds of Maps Used for SurveyAerial Photographs

Photographs from the air allow an archaeologist to easily see aspects of the site that are invisible from a ground based vantage point without some very intense mapping.

The lay of ancient riverbeds, prehistoric roadways, large scale affects on vegetation, and the layout of large monuments are all examples of common uses of aerial photography.

Aerial Photographs as Remote Sensing

Kinds of Maps Used for Survey

County Plat Maps

Kinds of Maps Used for SurveyOld Atlas and Insurance Maps

A.T. Andreas Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Iowa 1875

Sanborn Insurance Maps

Some Sources for Maps Used for Survey

State Agencies

Libraries

Private Companies

The main steps in archaeological surveying

1. Preliminary research2. Selection of sampling design3. Identification of sites4. Precise locating and recording of their position5. Assignment of designating code6. Basic recording of the characteristics of sites, including topographic

characteristics, major environmental features, vegetational cover, cultural features and surface collections, direction of exposure, and degree of disturbance

7. Basic recording of subsurface features where possible, including soil types, depth and nature of cultural deposits, stratification, and geology

8. Assessment of the significance of each site and its suitability for further investigation or excavation (related to a particular theoretical problem at hand)

9. Assessment of the likelihood of future disturbances or destruction at each site

10. A synthesis of information about the survey area at large, including predictions about the site population, site densities and clustering, and most frequent environmental associations

11. Description of the overall impact of development on the total site inventory or the area (if a salvage situation) and general recommendations concerning future research

Selection of sampling design

• Judgmental Sampling: Units of study are selected on the basis of the researcher's opinion of the relative "productivity" of different areas.

• Probabilistic Sampling: Samples are obtained by random or systematic selection of sampling units.

1. Simple Random Sampling: Each sampling unit in the entire field is numbered, and a certain percentage of units will be selected using a random number table

2. Systematic Sampling: The first sample unit is selected using a randomizing procedure, and all other units are chosen by a predetermined procedure (every fifth unit)

3. Stratified Systematic Sampling: The survey area is stratified into subclasses with each subclass serving as an independent universe; systematic sampling is then conducted within each independent universe

4. Stratified Random Sampling: The survey area is stratified into subclasses with each subclass serving as an independent universe; random sampling is then conducted within each independent universe

Methods of Surveying

• Transects: Crew members arrange themselves in linear survey units across the landscape and walk over the region to be investigated.

• Quadrats: The universe is gridded to define the sample units on the ground, and these equally sized units are called quadrats. Examination of surface material is conducted within each of the quadrats selected by the sampling design being used.

Transects

Identification of sites

SITE TYPES

• No category • Rockshelter/cave • Rock alignment—circular • Rock alignment—depression• Lithic scatter with ground tools • Lithic scatter with flake tools and

ground stone• Lithic scatter with features• Lithic scatter with reduction flakes• Lithic scatter with flake tools• Quarry (note materials present

and predominant material)• Petroglyph • Pictograph

• Rock cairn• Root-gathering area• Midden• Trail • Road• Historic camp/community• Dam/intake• Lookout• Fence/corral• Historic wood—unknown purpose• Historic/recent trash dump• Burial/grave/cemetery• Find spot• Traditional cultural property

What qualifies as a site?

Predictive ModelsPotentially useful tools to predict site locations

Foundations:

•Known locations of certain site types

•Detailed information of geomorphology & environment

•Environmental and culture factors known to influence locational behavior

•Statistical assessment

Problems:

“Ground-truthing” the model

Statistical assessments

“Unknown” does not mean “no sites!”

MnModel example

Identification of sites

SITE TYPES—Examples

Rock/stone cairn

Rock alignments

Stone circle (tipi ring)

Identification of sites SITE TYPES—Examples

Lithic Scatter

Quarry sites

Right: Profile view of the massive step trench excavated into the prehistoric jasper quarry at 36LH2 in Lehigh County. The prehistoric miners had excavated to a depth of 23 feet.

Identification of sites SITE TYPES—Examples

Pictograph (painted) Petroglyph (pecked or incised)

Rock Art

Identification of sites SITE TYPES—Examples

Rock shelters

Identification of sites SITE TYPES—Examples

Village sites

Identification of sites SITE TYPES—Examples

Oregon Trail ruts

Route 66

Roads & Trails

Identification of sites SITE TYPES—Examples

Historic camp/community

Sibley Campsite Larned, Kansas Ghost town of Mogollon, NM

Methods of Information Recovery

1. Surface Inspection/Collection2. Shovel Test: generally a 10-x-

10-cm hole3. Test Pit: generally a 1-x-1-m

or 2-x-2-m excavation unit4. Observation: soil description,

vegetation description, proximity to water, etc.

5. Deep testing6. Remote sensing

Shovel tests

Methods of Information RecoveryDeep Testing

Giddings Rig Backhoe testing

Remote SensingGround Penetrating Radar

Remote Sensing

Soil Resistivity Magnetomoter

Precise locating and recording of their position

Total Station

Assignment of designating code

Site Numbers or field numbers: 39BF11

Surface collection bags

Field numbers for key artifacts

Recordation of information on site forms

• Basic recording of the characteristics of sites, including topographic characteristics, major environmental features, vegetational cover, cultural features and surface collections, direction of exposure, and degree of disturbance

• Basic recording of subsurface features where possible, including soil types, depth and nature of cultural deposits, stratification, and geology

http://www.his.state.mt.us/shpo/CRISform.pdf

See sample from Montana at:

Significance

• Assessment of the significance of each site and its suitability for further investigation or excavation (related to a particular theoretical problem at hand)

•Assessment of the likelihood of future disturbances or destruction at each site

Danger to site?

The Report

A synthesis of information about the survey area at large, including predictions about the site population, site densities and clustering, and most frequent environmental associations

Description of the overall impact of development on the total site inventory or the area (if a salvage situation) and general recommendations concerning future research Click on the report above for a

fairly complete Section 106 project report.