Chartered Institute for Archaeologists 2023

P R O F E S S I O N A L A R C H A E O L O G Y | A G U I D E F O R C L I E N T S 2 0 2 3 2 5 CASE STUDIES | MANAGING ARCHAEOLOGY: Evaluation techniques that reduce uncertainty destruction of the archaeological record, it is not unusual in commercial archaeological investigation to ‘strip off’ topsoil. COMBINING FIELDWALKING AND METAL DETECTING UTILISING TRAINED DETECTORIST PRACTITIONERS Although the metal detector has been under- utilised as an archaeological tool in the past, where surface conditions are suitable for fieldwalking, the technology can be successfully used to pinpoint portable metal antiquities buried in the topsoil. A community interest company, the Institute of Detectorists CIC, has now been established to promote the embedding of metal detecting into professional practice. The Institute has developed a standard for ensuring a consistent approach to the use of metal detectors on archaeological sites called the ‘detailed and partial artefact survey’ (DPAS), which can be tailored to suit varying site conditions. In addition, the institute is building a national resource of ‘practitioner detectorists’ who have been educated to understand and adopt archaeological methods. Importantly, one of the key benefits of this approach is that detecting no longer needs to be limited to spoil heaps and topsoil; the use of skilled detectorist practitioners and DPAS methodology enables metal detection to progress to the investigation of trenches and for searching subsoil layers down to the natural, undisturbed strata. This enables us to locate and protect our portable heritage from the effects of mechanical excavation and to identify positions for archaeologists where metal finds from antiquity lie in undisturbed stratigraphy. Stating the obvious, time and money are two governing factors here, not only in the human resources required to complete two independent surveys, but also to process, Reducing the volume to surface area ratio of spoil makes it more suitable for scanning ©Keith Westcott