Forensic Archaeology: Recovering Buried Remains

The aim of this course is to introduce the principles of forensic archaeology from the methods of search (aerial photography, offender psychology), location (geophysics, recovery dogs), excavation, recovery and interpretation. These methods are described within the wider context of UK major crime investigation.

On successful completion of the course students will be able to:

• Identify the main techniques used in the location of buried objects and evaluate their usefulness in different terrain and against different targets
• Discriminate between different features that appear on geophysical surveys and deduce their likely archaeological causes
• Be able to set up a survey square and conduct a simple magnetometer survey
• Recognise the importance of stratigraphy and be able to use simple archaeological recording techniques to accurately describe that stratigraphy and interpret how it might have been caused
• Recognise the practical aspects of setting up an archaeological excavation and their implications.

• Methods for locating buried remains
• Aerial photographs
• Crop marks
• The basic geophysical techniques used in archaeology
• Use of a magnetometer and metal detector
• Interpreting the results of the techniques, especially magnetometry
• Principles of stratigraphy
• Archaeological recording practices
• Conducting an excavation
• Introduction to excavating graves containing multiple individuals.