News & Projects
November 2019
Exceptionally wet conditions so far this Autumn have produced dreadful ground conditions across much of the UK, areas of open soil can be extremely difficult to survey and data sets may be unacceptably noisy due to erratic movement and soil accumulating on footwear and equipment. The latter is often associated with ground contamination by so called 'green waste' where organic material derived from garden waste has been spread across fields. This material is often not properly screened for rubbish such as plastics, wire and miscellaneous metal objects which are also spread with the waste. Some of these particles are highly magnetic and can easily stick to footwear and wheels resulting in magnetic disturbance ranging from very low to very high and potentially obscuring archaeological features.
Archaeological Surveys Ltd will no longer be providing quotations for ground penetrating radar survey. However, we will continue to carry out GPR in specific cases and as part of contingency requirements as set out in the current guidelines.
Archaeological Surveys Ltd continue to offer geophysical survey during the COVID 19 pandemic.
With high temperatures becoming more frequent in British summers, Archaeological Surveys Ltd consider the risks of overheating and heat exhaustion when carrying out geophysical survey.
This short article takes a look at the current state of standards and guidance for archaeological geophysics in England with particular regard to commercial practice.
David Sabin of Archaeological Surveys Ltd was invited by Professor John Hunter of Birmingham University to present at the launching of "The Making of Tysoe Project" on March 14th, just before the coronavirus lock down. Tysoe is located in south Warwickshire close to the county border with Oxfordshire and on the edge of the Cotswolds AONB. The village is located within an area of extensive prehistoric and Roman archaeology but the project considers all aspects of historical and archaeological interest.