[Te]
A general term used to describe the discovery, mapping, and non-destructive investigation of archaeological remains in open country. The discovery of sites may involve walk-over surveys and systematic sampling of various kinds using direct observations, fieldwalking, shovel pit testing, and the ground-checking of information from aerial surveys and remote sensing. Mapping work will be done using one of a range of surveying techniques from simple sketching through to detailed measured drawings of earthworks and structures using a total station or GPS. Non-destructive investigations mainly draw on geophysical surveys, geochemical studies, and detailed surface collection where sites lie under disturbed ground.
