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Excavating at the Site |
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The Pech IV archaeological project is a combination of 21st century technology and precise hand excavation. All data recovered on a daily basis is immediately integrated into computer databases, including all artifact spatial information, as well as a general classification of cultural materials to categories such as lithic (stone artifact), bone, mineral, dating sample, and so forth. Detailed analysis of all cultural materials occurs during a study season after the excavation phase is completed. |
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The crew arrives at the site for the day and sets up in their work areas in the western section of Pech IV. |
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Digging is with small implements such as trowels, palette knives, and dental picks. All sediment is carefully brushed into dustpans and deposited in buckets that will be point provenienced to the area of the unit from which the excavated sediment derives. |
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Point proveniencing involves the use of a Total Station. This instrument sends out a laser beam to a prism and automatically calculates the exact spatial position of each artifact. Here we see the Total Station operator in action. |
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At the other end of the Total Station process is the prism, shown here held in place at the artifact to be point provenienced. |
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Sometimes we have to remove large obstructions at the site, such as boulders from rockshelter roof fall events. This can involve drilling into the rocks and placing wedges to be hammered in to split the rock into manageable pieces. |
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