Fieldwalking with Teresa Hall

The archaeologist Teresa Hall directed a fieldwalking survey of the fields around the main South Carlton site location. This method of archaeological survey is very popular on sensitive sites because it is non-destructive, can cover large areas and can also produce highly informative results in locating areas of human activity.

The process involves superimposing a grid of ten-metre squares over the area being surveyed. Once marked out with pegs, each square is given a unique reference number. The field walker then slowly walks over each square and picks up any artefacts that are visible on the surface. These finds are bagged and marked to indicate which square they came from. Once the fieldwalking has finished, all the discoveries are plotted onto a distribution map, which then highlights areas containing a high density of finds, possibly hinting at the location of archaeological remains nearby.

'It's actually quite difficult here because the field hasn't been ploughed and it's just stubble,' said Teresa, who would prefer a freshly harrowed area. 'We're finding scatters of early pottery that could indicate areas of activity, but I'm sure we'd be finding more if the field had just been ploughed.'

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