Question

When excavating a grave which of the following are included in the basic technique?

a. Using a trowel as a digging instrument to shovel out backfill dirt.
b. Keeping the dig in phase, so as not disturb lower layers of the grave.
c. Using small brushes to clear objects of dirt.
d. Mapping objects to a grid and identifying elevation data in the grave.
e. All of the above.
f. B, C and D.

Answer 1

In basic grave excavation techniques, archaeologists use a trowel for digging, small brushes for cleaning, maintain excavation phases to preserve site stratigraphy, and map objects to a grid with elevation data. Therefore, 'e. All of the above' is the correct answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

When excavating a grave, the basic technique includes a combination of strategies to carefully and respectfully uncover evidence from the past. These strategies consist of:

• Using a trowel as a digging instrument to gently remove backfill dirt without damaging any potential artifacts or remains.
• Keeping the excavation in phase, ensuring that lower layers of the grave are not disturbed before higher levels are fully documented and removed. This maintains the integrity of the site's stratigraphy.
• Employing small brushes to delicately clean objects of dirt, ensuring that all items are visible for identification and study.
• Mapping objects to a grid and noting elevation data, which allows for precise documentation of where each artifact was located within the grave site.

The correct answer to the student's question, therefore, is 'e. All of the above', as each listed method is part of the basic techniques used in archaeology for grave excavation.