Paper from TAG 2012 reviewing recording and excavation practice, arguing that primary recorder should be responsible for more active decision-making and interpretation. Commentary available from http://panopto.lamp.ac.uk/Panopto/Pages/Viewer/Default.aspx?id=3156c19d-1d85-424d-b4ad-c5832420603e

1. Value and values in
excavation recording
Martin Locock
Senior Project Officer, Strata Florida Heritage
Landscape Tourism Project

2. Two observations
• Site tour – selective, opinionated,
allusive, individual, speculative
• Archive – objective, structured,
standardised, consistent
© Copyright Bob Embleton and licensed for reuse

3. Two observations
• Site tour – selective, opinionated,
allusive, individual, speculative =
interesting
• Archive – objective, structured,
standardised, consistent = boring
• Significance and meaning
© Copyright Bob Embleton and licensed for reuse

4. Archaeological practice
Interesting/ useful not necessary
Interesting / useful + necessary
Not interesting / useful but necessary
Not interesting / useful and not necessary

5. Philosophy of recording
• Logical positivism
– Measurability
– Objectivity
– Consistency
• Reflexive methodologies
– Construction of knowledge
– Surfacing assumptions and debating ideas
– Embracing subjectivity

6. Philosophy of recording
T5 Heathrow
“production of a coherent and empirically
validated site narrative remains the
fundamental objective of the excavation ”
John Barrett
Interpretation during excavation
Entities not contexts
Staff uncomfortable

7. UDAS

8. Philosophy of recording
• Single interpretation
• Recorder as surrogate for director/reader
• Value = report/archive
• Memories/experience?
• Reification of commercial practice

9. Lean management
• Mapping work processes
• Creation of value
• Reduction of waste
• Maintenance
• Continuous improvement

10. Effort
• Excavation / recording £1000/day
Recording
Excavation
Admin

11. Value
Recording
Excavation
Admin

12. Excavation
process
Source: S Roskams 2001
Stratigraphy

14. Excavation
process
Source: S Roskams 2001
Stratigraphy

15. Excavation
process
Interpretation?
Source: S Roskams 2001
Stratigraphy

16. Recording
• Photography
• Drawing
© Copyright Andrew Curtis and licensed for reuse

17. Context recording
• Administration and
relationships
• Description (structured)
• Description (free)
• Interpretation

18. Context recording
• Administration and
relationships
• Description (structured)
• Description (free)
• Interpretation

19. Context recording
• Administration and
relationships
Interpretation?
• Description (structured)
• Description (free)
• Interpretation

20. Notebook
• Meta-narrative
• High-level interpretation
• Watching briefs
• (allowed?)
• Whose interpretation?

21. The future
• Work that creates no value
• Work that creates limited value
• Work that creates value
• Empowerment of the primary recorder
• Engagement with process and content
• Data or meaning

22. Thanks
P J Carne, UDAS
John Lewis, Society of Antiquaries
Andrew Marvell, GGAT
Quentin Drew UWTSD
Martin Locock
10simplesteps.blogspot.com
m.locock@tsd.ac.uk