Inside a Dig
Take a look at how the City Archaeology Program conducts a dig from start to finish.
The City Archaeology Program reviews construction projects on City-owned and Landmarked properties. If a project could disturb an archaeological site, we can request to perform a dig before the work starts.
City Archaeologists may perform the dig with the help of volunteers if it’s a City-funded project. We also work with nonprofits to help reduce the cost of an archaeological survey.
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Still have questions? Contact:
Archaeology
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201 Rivermoor Street
West Roxbury, MA 02132
When we need to dig
The Clough House, built in 1715, is one of the five oldest standing houses in Boston. The house was part of the Old North Church campus. It was also the first dig site of 2013.
When we needs to dig a site, we first request an Archaeological Permit from the State Archaeologist of Massachusetts. The application process includes:
- a detailed site history of the project area
- plans for how we will excavate the site
- what we may find through a survey.
After we get a permit, we start the dig.
At the dig site
Volunteers (left) began digging in the rear lot of the Clough House on May 16, 2013. Studying the stratification of soil helps to identify the context and date of many artifacts.
During the dig, the archaeologists and volunteers record artifacts by their soil stratum (layer) and depth in the ground. After digging a (usually!) perfectly square hole, they draw and photograph its walls.
The Archaeology team needs to complete the dig based on the requirements included in their permit proposal. After they finish digging, they write a letter to the state archaeologist. The team will either determine that the dig has found enough information, or that they need to excavate more. Once everyone agrees that enough data has been collected to understand the site, the digging ends and the lab work begins.
Back at the lab
Lab processing involves washing, sorting, and cataloging artifacts. Archaeologists enter artifacts into the catalog to help them understand what everything is and where it was found on the site. They use this later to reconstruct the history of the site based on the artifacts. They also publish the results of the dig in a formal archaeological report that details the history of the place and the information found through the survey.
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Still have questions? Contact:
Archaeology
-
201 Rivermoor Street
West Roxbury, MA 02132
