Test Excavations
| Since most
archaeological sites are buried, it is standard procedure for the state and federal
compliance agencies to require that the client develop, submit for approval, and implement
an adequate Test Excavation Program for those sites and properties indicating the
potential for significance. The testing program is intended to excavate enough of a
site's subsurface deposits to recover representative samples of the information contained
in the site as a whole. The information recovered should be sufficient to identify
the potential significance of the site and whether additional work will be required prior
to allowing the project to disturb the site area. American
Archaeology Group designs Test Excavation Programs involving small test pits that
are strategically placed around the site to maximize effective data recovery while
minimizing client costs. A report of the findings are again required to be
submitted to the permitting agency.
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