Page 157 - Manual for Activities directed at the Underwater Cultural Heritage

Prior site evaluation
Quite often with underwater archaeological inves- tigations, work is planned in a place where the in- vestigator has not worked before. In this case, it is important to gather as much information about the area as possible, in order to have a realistic idea of how long the work will take and how it will be carried out. The advice of others with a thorough local knowledge, such as fishermen and local sailors or divers, should not be ignored. Moreover, the preparation of a major fieldwork plan could be preceded by initial evaluations of the site in the form of archival research, field survey or even limited excavation. This will result in a better understanding of the nature of the site and the fieldwork requirement (what needs to be done and how it will be done). Site evaluations are archaeological projects in their own right and should have a set timescale similar to major projects.
Several factors add to the planning. If they are left open-ended, unknown or ill-considered they could result in fieldwork taking longer to complete. Therefore different aspects should be taken into consideration:
• Aims of the project: A full excavation where all possible material evidence is investigated, recovered and processed takes more time than a preliminary survey.
• Location: A remote area where the team will be living in on-site facilities and to where all equip- ment and supplies need
to be brought requests
the investment of more time than a place close by.
• Conditions: A project where working condi- tions are difficult or unstable usually takes longer. For example, if the site is in a tidal zone where work can be carried out only during a limited interval every day.
© Ships of Discovery.Two divers examine one of the 22 cannons found on the HMS Endymion, a British 5th rate wrecked in 1790 in the Turks & Caicos Islands, British Overseas Territories, United Kingdom.
All fieldwork, especially the eventual excavation, needs to be carefully planned on the basis of initial site evaluations.This planning includes the establishment of precise time scales that assign specific durations to all activities.
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Project duration – timetable