One of the main things I have taken on concerns screen
size. Here in the Northwest, the trend
has been towards using fine mesh (1/8-inch mesh) for all archaeological
investigations. This is not simply
sub-sampling with fine mesh, but processing all excavated sediment through fine
mesh.
There are many reasons for this trend, with probably the
biggest being the emotional appeal. That
is, it just seems more science-y. It
feels right. It feels rigorous. We get lots more stuff and since
archaeologists want stuff, isn’t more stuff better?
What’s always missing, however, is a discussion of what we
are losing by only using fine mesh. I
often get strange looks when I ask this question. “We are not losing anything,” is the response,
“that’s why we are using fine mesh.” Unfortunately, you are losing stuff. Lots of it.
I have said it before and will say it again. The dramatic increase in the use of fine mesh is a disaster for regional archaeology.
