Our geoarchaeologists have a range of specialist skills that can be applied to soils and sediments, both on and offshore, to gain an understanding of the sub-surface archaeology, ancient landscapes and changing environments.
Geoarchaeology
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Geoarchaeology makes use of field observations to interpret sediments and how these have been affected by both people and natural processes. We are often able to make use of clients’ own borehole records or can carry out our own auger surveys to investigate sedimentary sequences and sub-surface topography. These are frequently used to provide samples for other specialist investigations such as pollen and diatom analyses.
We have extensive experience in peat growth – a material of particular interest to archaeologists. In a maritime context, peat indicates the presence of landscapes that were once dry land and therefore potentially represent little-disturbed ancient landscapes. On land, peat can attain significant depths and can cover valuable, well-preserved, archaeological sites. Our geoarchaeologists are experienced in both maritime and terrestrial landscapes.
Geoarchaeology can be used to establish not only the presence of archaeology, but also the level of preservation and we can use this information to support desk-based assessments and planning applications.
We have dedicated specialists in-house, who can work alongside our clients’ own engineers to share information and agree on the best solutions for our clients’ projects.