Archaeological recording

New to Time Team for the 2005 series is another Wessex archaeologist: Nick Cooke. (Both Steve Thompson and Phil Harding work for Wessex Archaeology. Together with Steve Thompson, Nick's job is to make sure that all of the archaeology is properly recorded. This involves countless context sheets, which record what each layer looks like and where it is in relation to any other; piles of plans (such as mini maps of the site); and stacks of section drawings (such as vertical maps of trench and feature sides). Nick also takes colour slides and monochrome pictures of all the archaeology.

When an archaeological layer is found it has to be cleaned up and then recorded. Only then can it be dug up to reveal what's underneath. This new layer of archaeology is then cleaned up and recorded in turn; and so it goes on until the site is completely excavated and all that's left are the records, the finds and the film.

Time Team uses the same standard recording conventions as any other archaeological field unit. This makes sure that any other archaeologist can look at the records and understand them. It also makes comparisons between a Time Team site and any other site easier when all the records are done in the same way.

Hear Nick Cooke talking about archaeological recording.

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