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Shovel test pit

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Typically STP are excavated to a maximum average of 1.0 m, although it is possible to excavate somewhat deeper (1.25 to 1.5 m) dependent upon the excavator and the tools available. STP can be combined with other techniques and tools (augers, corers) to extend the maximum depth of effective testing beyond 1.5 m.
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The form of STP may vary from region to region and even within regions by company/organization. Common forms include circular and square shaped. Circular STP often have cylindrical to "bullet" (i.e., cylinder with short inverted conical base) shaped profiles and range from 30 cm to 50 cm diameter.
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STPs will often be laid out over the project area in a grid-like fashion or in a consistently spaced line, creating a fairly systematic survey. Therefore, after the holes have been dug, one may map artifact densities over the project area, pinpointing the locations of possible sites where further
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Depth of STP excavation also varies widely and is often dependent upon local soil types and expected maximum depth of sites. Typically this ranges from 30 cm to 1.0 m. A second factor is mechanical, in that excavation is limited by the tools and techniques used (i.e., shovel versus trowel).
88:) or is determined by the conditions in the field. The usual space between two STPs is 10 m or more but it can be considerably less (e.g., 1 m). The current standards in the United States is 30m or less. The depth of an STP depends on the depth at which either the bedrock or the 99:
Square STPs are typically about 50 cm, but some locations prefer other sizes (e.g., 40 cm). Unusual and unusually ineffective variants include circular (30 to 50 cm diameter) STP with truncated conical profiles.
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that are not visible on the surface. The soil is sifted or screened through 1/4" or 6 mm wire mesh to recover the artifacts.
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at which the STPs are placed varies considerably and, in CRM at least, is sometimes prescribed by
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It designates a series of (c. 0.50 m or less) test holes, usually dug out by a
81: 30:"Sounding (archaeology)" redirects here. For sondage by digging trenches, see 77: 92: 68:(hence the name) in order to determine whether the soil contains any 65: 58: 142: 167:
Maschner, Herbert D. G.; Chippindale, Christopher (2005).
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and a popular form of rapid archaeological survey in the
195:"What is an STP (U.S. National Park Service)" 8: 27:Standard method for archaeological surveys 143:"Archaeology 101: Shovel Test Pit Survey" 134: 76:investigation may be necessary. The 7: 170:Handbook of Archaeological Methods 25: 173:. Rowman Altamira. p. 145. 147:MSU Campus Archaeology Program 1: 47:Cultural Resources Management 241: 29: 113:Archaeological excavation 55:United States of America 225:Methods in archaeology 18:Sounding (archaeology) 84:regulations (in the 180:978-0-7591-0078-7 16:(Redirected from 232: 209: 208: 206: 205: 191: 185: 184: 164: 158: 157: 155: 154: 139: 70:cultural remains 21: 240: 239: 235: 234: 233: 231: 230: 229: 215: 214: 213: 212: 203: 201: 193: 192: 188: 181: 166: 165: 161: 152: 150: 141: 140: 136: 131: 118:Trial trenching 109: 39:shovel test pit 35: 32:Trial trenching 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 238: 236: 228: 227: 217: 216: 211: 210: 186: 179: 159: 133: 132: 130: 127: 126: 125: 123:Watching brief 120: 115: 108: 105: 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 237: 226: 223: 222: 220: 200: 196: 190: 187: 182: 176: 172: 171: 163: 160: 148: 144: 138: 135: 128: 124: 121: 119: 116: 114: 111: 110: 106: 104: 100: 96: 94: 91: 87: 83: 79: 73: 71: 67: 62: 60: 56: 52: 48: 44: 40: 33: 19: 202:. Retrieved 198: 189: 169: 162: 151:. Retrieved 149:. 2010-05-07 146: 137: 101: 97: 74: 63: 42: 38: 36: 199:www.nps.gov 95:is found. 51:methodology 204:2022-11-02 153:2022-11-02 129:References 219:Category 107:See also 78:interval 93:subsoil 90:sterile 177:  66:shovel 59:Canada 49:(CRM) 82:state 175:ISBN 86:U.S. 57:and 61:. 43:STP 221:: 197:. 145:. 37:A 207:. 183:. 156:. 41:( 34:. 20:)

Index

Sounding (archaeology)
Trial trenching
Cultural Resources Management
methodology
United States of America
Canada
shovel
cultural remains
interval
state
U.S.
sterile
subsoil
Archaeological excavation
Trial trenching
Watching brief
"Archaeology 101: Shovel Test Pit Survey"
Handbook of Archaeological Methods
ISBN
978-0-7591-0078-7
"What is an STP (U.S. National Park Service)"
Category
Methods in archaeology

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