Watching brief
Encyclopedia
In British
archaeology
a Watching Brief is a method of preserving archaeological remains by record in the face of development threat. An archaeologist is employed by the developer to monitor the excavation of foundation and service trenches, landscaping
and any other intrusive work. The developer undertakes to give the archaeologist sufficient time to identify and record any archaeological finds and features, however the arrangement is rarely satisfactory for either party.
It is often difficult, both intellectually and physically, to identify archaeological features in narrow foundation trenches and the potential delay to a project can also be difficult for a developer to incorporate into a development programme. Prior evaluation through trial trenching
can overcome these problems by having the archaeology examined and removed or preserved before groundworks commence.
Defined by the Institute of Field Archaeologists (IFA) as: “…a formal programme of observation and investigation conducted during any operation carried out for non-archaeological reasons. This will be within a specified area or site on land, inter-tidal zone or underwater, where there is a possibility that archaeological deposits may be disturbed or destroyed. The programme will result in the preparation of a report and ordered archive.” (IFA rev.1999)
The purpose of an Archaeological Watching Brief is similarly defined by the IFA and is: “to allow, within the resources available, the preservation by record of archaeological deposits, their presence and nature of which could not be established (or established with sufficient accuracy) in advance of development or other potentially disruptive works.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
archaeology
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
a Watching Brief is a method of preserving archaeological remains by record in the face of development threat. An archaeologist is employed by the developer to monitor the excavation of foundation and service trenches, landscaping
Landscaping
Landscaping refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land, including:# living elements, such as flora or fauna; or what is commonly referred to as gardening, the art and craft of growing plants with a goal of creating a beautiful environment within the landscape.#...
and any other intrusive work. The developer undertakes to give the archaeologist sufficient time to identify and record any archaeological finds and features, however the arrangement is rarely satisfactory for either party.
It is often difficult, both intellectually and physically, to identify archaeological features in narrow foundation trenches and the potential delay to a project can also be difficult for a developer to incorporate into a development programme. Prior evaluation through trial trenching
Trial trenching
Trial trenching is a rapid and inexpensive method of archaeological evaluation used to estimate the archaeological potential of a site.Trenches are located at intervals across a site leaving the rest untouched. A mechanical excavator is used to dig down to archaeological features or natural...
can overcome these problems by having the archaeology examined and removed or preserved before groundworks commence.
Defined by the Institute of Field Archaeologists (IFA) as: “…a formal programme of observation and investigation conducted during any operation carried out for non-archaeological reasons. This will be within a specified area or site on land, inter-tidal zone or underwater, where there is a possibility that archaeological deposits may be disturbed or destroyed. The programme will result in the preparation of a report and ordered archive.” (IFA rev.1999)
The purpose of an Archaeological Watching Brief is similarly defined by the IFA and is: “to allow, within the resources available, the preservation by record of archaeological deposits, their presence and nature of which could not be established (or established with sufficient accuracy) in advance of development or other potentially disruptive works.
See also
- Archaeological field surveyArchaeological field surveyArchaeological field survey is the method by which archaeologists search for archaeological sites and collect information about the location, distribution and organization of past human cultures across a large area...
- Shovel test pitShovel test pitA shovel test pit is a standard method for Phase I of an Archaeological survey. It is usually a part of the CRM methodology and a popular form of rapid archaeological survey in the United States of America and Canada.It designates a series of A shovel test pit (STP) is a standard method for Phase...
- Trial trenchingTrial trenchingTrial trenching is a rapid and inexpensive method of archaeological evaluation used to estimate the archaeological potential of a site.Trenches are located at intervals across a site leaving the rest untouched. A mechanical excavator is used to dig down to archaeological features or natural...
- Excavation