STANDARD AND GUIDANCEFOR ARCHAEOLOG

STANDARD AND GUIDANCE

FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATIONS


STANDARD


An archaeological excavation will examine and record the archaeological resource within a specified area using appropriate methods and practices. These will satisfy the stated aims of the project, and comply with the Code of Conduct, Code of approved practice for the regulation of contractual arrangements in field archaeology, and other relevant by-laws of the IFA. It will result in one or more published accounts and an ordered, accessible archive.


DEFINITION OF EXCAVATION

The definition of archaeological excavation is a programme of controlled, intrusive fieldwork with defined research objectives which examines, records and interprets archaeological deposits, features and structures and, as appropriate, retrieves artefacts, ecofacts and other remains within a specified area or site on land, inter-tidal zone or underwater. The records made and objects gathered during fieldwork are studied and the results of that study published in detail appropriate to the project design.


PURPOSE OF EXCAVATION

The purpose of excavation is to examine the archaeological resource within a given area or site within a framework of defined research objectives, to seek a better understanding of and compile a lasting record of that resource, to analyse and interpret the results, and disseminate them.


OCCURRENCE

Excavations may arise:

* in response to a proposed development which would threaten the archaeological resource

* as part of the planning process (within the framework of appropriate national planning policy guidance notes) and/or development plan policy

* as part of an Environmental assessment (see 3.1.3 below)

* or outside the planning process (eg ecclesiastical development, coastal erosion, agriculture, forestry and countryside management, works by public utilities and statutory undertakers)

* within a programme of research not generated by a specific threat to the archaeological resource

* in connection with management plans and mitigation strategies by private, local national or international bodies.

Excavation may therefore be instigated or commissioned by a number of different individuals or organisations, including local planning authorities, national advisory bodies, government agencies, private landowners, developers or their agents, archaeological researchers, etc.