Surveys can take a variety of forms from site walkovers to detailed recording of ancient earthworks and landscape topography. Earthwork surveys are employed to record features such as banks, ditches, trackways, channels, ponds and walls which have become partially filled in or obscured by vegetation. Surveys are non-intrusive, requiring no ground disturbance. Where archaeological remains survive as upstanding features above ground, site survey is usually the first field technique employed to provide the initial base-line record. Surveys can often be enhanced by reference to aerial photographs, old maps and geophysical surveys which help to show large features more clearly as well as the presence of buried features. This can be further enhanced by the use of our site or landscape-scale high resolution drone-based lidar or photogrammetry which reveals all features with even very subtle surface expression, having vertical accuracy around 25cm, but which can be increased to centimetre accuracy should it be required.
Archaeological metric survey is specialist work and at Archaeological Research Services Ltd we have highly trained surveyors who have expertise in identifying and surveying archaeological features in a wide variety of settings and of widely different types, as well as having highly developed surveying skills. We have survey and mapping grade GPS units as well as total stations to ensure the accuracy of our work. We also have vast experience in using GIS software to integrate, analyse and articulate survey data and produce accurate maps and plans for our clients. Key types of survey typically undertaken include earthwork survey, topographic survey, contour survey and rapid walkover survey.