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CAN YOU DIG IT?
“UNEARTHING HASLEMERE”
REGIONAL COMMUNITY
ARCHAEOLOGY PROJECT
The Haslemere Educational Museum needs your help to uncover the
past and discover what lies beneath our feet. We would like you to
become an amateur archaeologist and get involved by digging a small
test pit to uncover areas of our prehistoric past. We would like to find
out who occupied this area; whether they were from the Stone Age, the
Iron Age or maybe a Roman Soldier passing through. We want to
know why we have a Romano-British Cemetery but no evidence of
occupation or settlements during that period. We need you to help the
Museum by unearthing any evidence that will assist us in piecing
together the early history of our town, surrounding villages and
countryside.
This project is open to the public and schools within the area defined
by the map below.
Map outlining the area of interest.
North 1380
Brook
(SU9300838149)
Chiddingfold
(SU961355)
Grayshott
(SU872353)
East
4869
Haslemere and Surrounding Area
East
4961
Haslemere
(SU9032)
Lynchmere
(SU869308)
Kingsley Green
(SU895307)
North 1307
Get involved with your heritage and enjoy the Festival of Archaeology,
taking place around the UK from the 11th-26th July 2015.
UNEARTHING HASLEMERE
The Haslemere Educational Museum needs your help in Uncovering
Haslemere’s prehistoric past. From now until 26th July 2015, we are asking
the public and local schools to take part in an historic event to discover
what lies beneath our feet. This is the first community archaeological
project of its kind in the town, and a unique opportunity to discover more
about your local heritage and contribute to the understanding of our history
and culture.
We are asking that individuals or groups in the Haslemere and the
surrounding area, (which encompasses Brook to the North,
Chiddingfold to the East, Kingsley Green to the South and Lynchmere
and Grayshott to the West), dig a 1 metre square (40 inch) test pit in their
gardens or school grounds. Our hope is that these pits will help us to
uncover artefacts that will assist the Museum in interpreting Haslemere’s
past history.
Information on how and where to dig, safety advice and recording sheets
can be found on our website: www.haslemeremuseum.co.uk or copies of
this pamphlet can be obtained from the reception desk at the Museum.
On the 18th of July from 1pm–4pm an archaeologist will be on hand at the
Museum to collect and help identify your artefact(s). If you are unable to
attend on the 18th, please drop off your artefacts along with any photos and
recording sheets any day prior to the 26th of July. If you can’t make it to
the Museum, feel free to email us with a photo of your artefact and any
pertinent information and location of object. Please send your emails to:
collections@haslemeremuseum.co.uk
Alternatively, if you happen to be digging a flower bed, planting a shrub or
putting in a footer for a new building and happen to come across an old
looking object, no matter how insignificant, please let us know, as one
person’s rubbish may be another person’s treasure. Also if you have
previously found any objects prior to this event that you think would be of
interest to our study, we would love to see them.
Please remember to ask permission of the landowner before
participating in this groundbreaking event.
Thank You.
TEST PIT INSTRUCTIONS
This project should be undertaken with parental supervision and with the permission of
the land owner.
Please take all safety precautions seriously to avoid any accidents.
1. Choose the location: that has not been previously disturbed by digging or man-made
structures and not too near trees and bushes as most tree roots extend to the edge of the
tree canopy. Do not dig near walls or over pipes and cables to prevent damage or
electrocution.
2. Please follow Health and Safety advice, copied below from the University of Cambridge
‘Health and Safety’ guide. See website under reference for full text.
3. Equipment needed: a pencil, recording sheets, ball of string, 4 stakes or tent pegs,
measuring tape, a shovel or spade or mattock for digging, sieve, trowel, soft paint brush,
bucket of water, tooth brush, protective eye gear, gardening gloves, ground sheet,
disposable tray, plastic bags and permenant marker.
4. The trench should be approximately 1 metre (40 inches) square. You may consider
digging a larger test pit if something of interest arises, but be careful of the depth as deep
trenches can collapse on the digger.
5. To begin, mark out the test pit with the stakes and string and draw a map of where the pit
is in your garden using the measuring tape, take measurements to surrounding
objects/buildings that are not likely to move. You may also take a position reading with a
more accurate Global Positioning System.
6. If the pit is in grass the turf is taken off in neat squares with a spade and stacked nearby
on a ground-sheet, earth-side to earth-side and grass to grass.
7. The soil is dug out of the pit with trowels and shovels, in 15cm (6 inch) layers. Place the
soil onto a ground sheet, this makes it easier to refill pit. If you find anything such as
coins, pottery shards, old building foundations or a noticeably different type of soil then
describe it on a recording sheet and take a photograph of the item in the ground and with
a scale measurement alongside. You may need to print off several copies of this
recording sheet as each find should have its own recording sheet.
8. Dig until you reach soil that is undisturbed by human activity or to a maximum of 75cm
(30 inches) deep. Deep pits pose a danger and most artefacts should be within a 75cm (30
inch) depth. Best to stay outside the pit while digging and reach down into the pit from
above. Do not let children or animals alone near the pit or stand inside the pit.
9. Any artefacts found should be recorded, and photographed with a scale measure. Place
individual artefacts into clear plastic bags. Using a permenant marker, label each bag
with your personal information. Please include record sheet and photograph of the object.
10. Once you have finished your pit it should be filled in immediately and turf returned.
11. Any artefacts should be taken to the Haslemere Educational Museum to be analysed by
archaeologists. The Museum will have archaeologists on hand on Saturday July 18th
between 1pm-4pm, if you would like to bring in your artefacts. Feel free to drop your
artefacts off at the museum at any time before the 18th and let us know if you want them
returned. If you are unable to bring the artefact to the museum then we would be grateful
if you could photograph the find with a scale and location and email or post it to the
museum.
12. Artefacts will be returned to you after they have been identified, catalogued and
photographed. If you do not want the artefact returned we will be happy to take
possession of them. We can not guarentee the items will be placed in our collection but
may be used as educational tools or discarded depending on their archaeological value.
Please note that the Haslemere Educational Museum, it's Staff and Volunteers, do not
accept any responsibility for any injury, illness, death, loss, damage, expense cost or other
sum or claim of any description whatsoever or howsoever arising. For your own protection,
you should ensure that you are adequately insured.
HEALTH AND SAFETY ADVICE
Taken from University of Cambridge website
Observance of Health and Safety guidance is important in order to avoid:
•Injury to persons
•Damage to property
General:
• All must behave sensibly at all times
• All must remain aware and alert to their surroundings at all times
• Any broken skin (blisters, cuts etc) to be cleaned thoroughly and covered. Tetanus
status to be checked before taking part in excavation and updated if necessary in event
of significant injury.
• All i-pods, MP3 players etc to be kept switched off.
• Watch out for hazards on the ground and overhead.
• Wash your hands before eating.
• Don’t allow individuals to get separated from the group.
• No intoxicants to be brought onto site and no persons to be on site while under the
influence of intoxicants.
• Professional medical advice is to be sought in the event of feeling unwell after taking
part in excavation.
Hidden cables and pipes:
• Be aware there may be electricity, gas, water or sewerage pipes just a few centimetres
below where you are digging
• Don’t swing mattocks into the ground too hard, in order to prevent damage to hidden
cables or pipes.
Contamination:
• Be aware that objects such as tins and bottles may contain residues of dangerous
substances.
• Don’t taste or sniff anything you find in the ground.
Tripping and falling:
• Be aware that as the test pit gets deeper it will become more of a hazard.
• Keep the site tidy at all times.
• Keep the area within 2m of the test pit clear of equipment and anything else that
might be a trip hazard (that includes the spoil heap!)
• Walk AROUND the pit, NOT across it. Never jump across the open pit.
• Never run on site.
Animals:
• Watch out for animals which may be trying to interfere with you or your work, or
have quietly positioned themselves somewhere where they are a trip hazard.
Weather:
• If it’s cold, keep warm by digging!
• If it’s wet, use a gazebo to keep your pit and paperwork dry – sieve into a bucket
under the gazebo.
• If it’s sunny, watch out for sunburn. Use hat/sun block as needed.
• If it’s hot, watch out for heatstroke – keep hydrated and take breaks in the shade as
needed.
Equipment usage:
• NEVER stand behind someone shovelling (so you don’t get hit by their elbow)
• NEVER reach into the pit when someone is using the spade or shovel (so you don’t
get your hand hit).
• NEVER over-load the sieve (½ shovel-full max. in the sieve at a time) (so you don’t
strain your back)
• ALWAYS stand well back from the pit when the spade, shovel or mattock is being
used (so you’re not at risk of falling in if pushed from behind)
• NEVER hold the mattock with the metal head uppermost (so it doesn’t slide down
and hit your hand)
• NEVER raise the mattock above head height (so it doesn’t slide down and hit your
head/shoulder, or fly off the end and hit someone else)
• Don’t swing the mattock into the ground too hard – you may damage objects hidden
in the ground, or jar your shoulder if it hits something hard.
• NEVER reach into the pit when the mattock is being used (so you don’t get hit in the
face as the mattock is lifted up)
• ALWAYS stand well back and behind the pit when the mattock is being used (so
you’re not at risk of falling in if pushed from behind, and if chips of stone fly up they
won’t hit you).
• ALWLAYS wear safety goggles to protect your eyes when using the mattock on
surfaces where resistant materials are present (large stones, bricks, concrete).
Reference:
Access Cambridge Archaeology,
McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, Downing St
Cambridge CB2 3ER
01223 761519 access@arch.cam.ac.uk
http://www.meldrethhistory.org.uk/documents/Health_and_Safety_guidance.pdf
Further suggested reading material:
Handbook Guide from Suffolk County Council:
http://www.hoxnehistory.org.uk/Hoxne%20Test%20Pit%20Guidebook.pdf
Standards and Guidance of Archaeological Excavation:
www.museumoflondon.org.uk/files/1713/7243/.../ArchExcavations.doc
UEL Health and Safety Handbook:
http://dl-cfs-01.uel.ac.uk/hrservices/documents/hshandbook/fieldwork_policy.pdf
Please note that the Haslemere Educational Museum, it's Staff and Volunteers, do not
accept any responsibility for any injury, illness, death, loss, damage, expense cost or other
sum or claim of any description whatsoever or howsoever arising. For your own
protection, you should ensure that you are adequately insured.
By participating in this dig you are acknowledging that you are taking full responsibility
for any accidents or damage caused by you or those participating with you in this project.
RECORDING SHEET
Project Leader's Name________________________________________
Street Address_______________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Telephone Number___________________________________________
GRID
Draw a plan of the object on
the grid provided. You will
need individual grids and
recording sheets for each
object found.
Please place the North
direction on the grid. Also
measure distance from grid
to 3 stationary structures
closest to the grid, such as
walls, trees
or
other
immovable structure, for
future location.
Scale is 1:10
Each small square within
the grid on this page is
equals 10 centimetres or 4
inches on the ground.
GPS location or OS coordinates:
________________________________________
Distance from Grid to stationary object: __________________, __________________,
__________________.
Please take a photo of the object while still in the ground and after removing it.
OBJECT DESCRIPTION
Artefact Material and Description
Pottery
Bone
Tile
Glass
Metal
Other