The basic tool for digging is the pointing trowel, the same type of trowel bricklayers or masons use. The trowel is carefully and evenly scraped across the surface of the excavation area so that artifacts are uncovered and soil changes are easily noted. This chart provides a standard name for soil colors so that soil at the sites and others can be compared. The corner of each square is marked with a tag so that the archaeologists can take measurements to record the findings from the square. Artifact An artifact is any item made or modified by humans.
Artifacts can be ceramics, glass, bone, metal or even stone.
Bucket Soil is deposited in a bucket and then carried to the screens. Bag All artifacts collected from a provenience are placed in their own bag and carefully labeled so that interpretation and analysis of the site may be done following excavation.