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 7 CASE STUDIES | MANAGING ARCHAEOLOGY: Evaluation techniques that reduce uncertainty excavated by an archaeologist. ▪ Recording: collecting small finds and the GPS logging of finds are often performed separately. Our three-stage approach includes bagging the find, writing details such as the context number and find depth on the bag and also on a separate tag attached to a plastic stake, allowing the small finds to be retrieved before spatial coordinates are logged. ▪ A no-metal zone: it may sound obvious but utilising metal stakes to set out a ‘detailed’ surface detecting area, or laying spoil on metal-eyed tarpaulins, is not conducive to an efficient survey. Detectorist practitioners will comply with health and safety requirements by wearing non- metallic composite safety boots and hard hats secured and suited to the practice of removing artefacts from the ground. Further information on DPAS and detectorist practitioners will be publicised through a forthcoming website operated by the institute and its charitable counterpart, the Detectorist Foundation, under the joint banner of the Detectorists Institute and Foundation, thedif.org.uk . Detectorist practitioners carrying out a detailed survey to DPAS standards ©Nathan Portlock-Allan