excavation
In archaeology, the exposure, recording, and recovery of buried material remains. The techniques employed vary by the type of site, but all forms of archaeological excavation require great skill and careful preparation. The process begins with site location, by means of aerial photography, remote sensing, or, commonly, accidental discovery by construction crews. This step is followed by surveying and mapping, site sampling, and developing an excavation plan. The design and execution of an excavation frequently require an interdisciplinary team of experts. The actual digging consists of the removal of surplus dirt and the painstaking examination, through observation, sifting, and other means, of remaining soil, artifacts, and context. Common dig tools include the trowel, penknife, and brush. The excavation phase is followed by artifact classification, analysis, dating, and the publication of results. Excavation may last decades or be a short-term emergency salvage operation (as when a site is threatened by development).
excavation [‚ek·skə′vā·shən]
Excavation
the process of removing rock or earth from a solid, broken, or unconsolidated layer by means of an excavator, bulldozer, scraper, or similar machine. In earthwork practice, the term “excavation” may also include the entire work cycle, that is, digging, transportation, and dumping of the earth with excavators.
Soft, loose, and dense rock is usually excavated directly from the solid formation by successive removal of layers of ground; rock that has been broken up beforehand is excavated from piles or loosened layers. Three types of excavation are distinguished according to the mutual position of the face and the horizon on which the machine is working: the face may be above or below the machine horizon, or a combination of the two arrangements may be used. Because digging is the principal component of the process of excavation, it is conventional to describe the process with respect to the specific resistance to digging. This quantity is affected by the physicomechanical properties of the rock or earth, the type of excavating machine used, the design and dimensions of the working member, and the procedure followed in working the face.
REFERENCES
Dombrovskii, N. G. Ekskavatory. Moscow, 1969.Rzhevskii, V. V. Protsessy otkrytykh gornykh rabot, 2nd ed. Moscow, 1974.
Beliakov, Iu. I., and V. M. Vladimirov. Sovershenstvovanie ekskavatornykh rabot na kar’erakh. Moscow, 1974.
IU. D. BUIANOV
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