The most important aspect of recording either a random square or an antiquity site is accurate and consistent data collection. The sheets discussed in the remainder of this manual were designed to build detailed descriptions of the random square, or of the site and its various archaeological features. These descriptions can then be entered into a computer database for later manipulation and retrieval. This section of the manual was written to explain the types of data that are expected by the sheets, and to build consistency in recording that data. This portion of the manual will begin with the sheets used for recording Random Squares, and then conclude with the sheets used for recording archaeological sites.
The first sheet you will complete when recording a random square is the Random Square Sketch Sheet. This sheet has two parts which need to be completed, Random Square Identification, and the sketch itself. The following is a brief description and discussion of each of these sections. The portion of the Random Square Sketch Sheet being discussed has been reproduced and appears in a "box" either immediately preceding, or to the right of the pertinent text. Please note that many of the reproduced elements taken from the recording sheets have been reduced to fit the pages of the manual.
The Identification section asks for nine separate pieces of information, lettered "A" through "I." Once completed, the information in this section will enable an individual to return to this random square either physically, or vicariously through the collected data. Since the random squares were chosen before entering the field, much of the data requested in this identification section will be available from the Random Square Database and can be filled in even before the square is located on the ground. Random squares are numbered consecutively and these numbers are prefixed by the initials RS. Thus, the first square is RS 1, the second is RS 2, etc. Having located the correct square number from the database, simply place the number of the square in the blank following "Random Square No."
In the blank following "Season" place the year, e.g. '98.
The initials of the "Supervisor" come next.
Following this, the "Date" that this square was visited is placed in the appropriate blank.
"Coord." refers to the coordinates of the southwest corner of the square in Palestine Grid coordinates. "E." refers to the East coordinate, and "N." refers to the North coordinate. These coordinates will be available for each random square in the Random Square Database.
Place the correct map number in the blank following "Map Number." This number can be obtained from the Database.
"Aerial Photo No." refers to the number of the aerial photo in which the site is located. This can be determined by referring to the excavation's aerial photo key.
Using the 1:25000 topographical maps of the region, fill in the high and low Contour Elevations for the random square.
Finally, in the blank following "Sketch Made By," place the initials of the person making the sketch.
The sketch is made in the box found directly below the identification section of the Random Square Sketch Sheet. The box represents the 200 by 200 meters of the random square and contains a grid, with each cell in the grid representing 50 by 50 meters, to facilitate the sketch. You may begin pacing off the square from any corner, just be sure that you start your sketch in the same corner that you begin your pacing.
Once the Random Square Sketch Sheet has been completed, the Random Square Data Sheet is ready to be filled out. This sheet is divided into the following eleven sections: Random Square Identification, Environment, Land Use, Archaeological Sites, Archaeological Features, Pottery, Objects, Photographs, Identification (a shortened version of the first section for the top of the second page), Description, and Interpretation. Again, the portion of the recording sheet being discussed has been reproduced and appears in a "box" either immediately preceding, or to the right of the pertinent text.
The Identification section on the Random Square Data Sheet is essentially identical to that of the Random Square Sketch Sheet, with the exception of the following:
In the blank following "Sketch," place a check mark once the sketch of the random square has been completed.
The space labeled Location Description needs to be completed for each random square. In the space alloted, give a short prose description of the location, using prominent and permanent landmarks to identify it.
The environment section of the Random Square Data Sheet requires a brief description of the environment of the square, contained under three sub-headings: Terrain, Vegetation, and Erosion.
A. Terrain:
For "TERRAIN," determine the percentages of bedrock, rocky, cultivated, and archaeological sediment on the surface of the site and mark these in the appropriate spaces. Rocky is defined as terrain which is neither bedrock, nor cultivated. Cultivated includes fields which lie fallow when you are recording the site.
B. Vegetation
The dominant vegetation types are listed under the "VEGETATION" heading of the environmental section. As with the previous category, determine the percentages and place them in the appropriate spaces. Maquis is the climax vegetation throughout much of the Mediterranean world and is characterized by low evergreen shrubs and trees, principally the common evergreen oak (Quercus calliprinos) and the Palestinian terebinth (Pistacia palaestina), and is often too dense to be passable. Given the degree to which humans have manipulated the environment of Palestine, it is unlikely that any true maquis will be found in the survey area. Since the late 40's and early 50's, the government of Jordan has engaged in a serious reforestation project, planting Aleppo Pine forests throughout the country, including certain areas of the survey area. Dwarf Shrub refers to the low, thorny shrubs, such as Sarcopoterium spinosum, abundant in the area. "Arch. Sed." refers to the percentage of any archaeological remains in the random square.
C. Erosion
Finally, determine the "EROSION" category that best describes the square and place an "X" in the appropriate box. In general, extensive erosion would be checked when 25% or more of a random square has suffered erosion. Accumulation should be checked only in alluvial settings.
3. Land UseOne of the goals of the Random Square Survey is to determine modern land use practices for the survey area. In this section, determine the relative percentages for the different land use categories and write the numbers in the appropriate blanks.
One of the principal goals for the Random Square survey is the discovery of archaeological sites, and it is hoped that sites will be discovered on a daily basis. This part of the recording sheet keeps track of the number of archaeological sites discovered during normal random survey operations. If a site is discovered within the boundaries of the square you are recording, record its site number in the appropriate blank in section 'A.' If a site is discovered in the vicinity of the random square, but not within its boundaries, place this site's number in section 'B.'
Archaeological features are the man-made components which alone, or in combination make up an archaeological site. Thus, a group of stones is not a feature, but a group of stones placed by a human to form a wall is a feature. If you discover an archaeological site within a random square, you will also have at least one archaeological features within that square. If this is the case, place a check mark in the appropriate blank for each archaeological feature inside the square. Remember, mark only those features found inside the square's boundary.
The Pottery section includes data gathered both in the field and in the lab. Each row through the columns receives information from a single pottery pail. On the Random Square Sheet, all pottery collected from the Random Square is recorded. This includes pottery collected from archaeological sites, or portions of sites within the Random Square. Since most sites will cross the boundary of a random square, when you are collecting pottery for a site be sure that the pottery collected for the site is divided into that portion found inside and that portion found outside the random square. For the Random Square Data Sheet, include only the pottery for a site collected within the square.
If the pottery from that pail is called "publishable" at pottery reading, place the number of publishable sherds in the first column, labeled "Pub,"
The "Date" column is for the date that the pottery was collected, not the date it was read. Enter it immediately when the pail is labeled in the field.
The "Pail" is the number of the pottery pail, or bag. Usually numbered consecutively, a pail number used for a random square is never repeated for that square.
The column labeled "Diag/Tot" refers to the number of sherds considered diagnostic and to the total number of sherds collected in the pail. Write the number of diagnostic sherds (rims, bases, some handles, decoration, etc.) on the left side and the total number of sherds, including diagnostic sherds, on the right side. For example: 43/237 means that the pail contained 43 diagnostic sherds out of a total of 237 sherds.
Complete the column, "Preserv[ation]," at pottery reading, when you can see the sherds. Are they extraordinarily small? Are they badly worn? Are they extremely large pieces? etc.
The column labeled "Feat[ure]" is only for sherds collected specifically from an individual feature from an archaeological site. Since random squares are not sites, this column will not be used on the Random Square Data Sheet.
Record the "Pottery Reading" in the next column using the following abbreviations: Mod (Modern); Tur (Turkish) or LI (Late Islamic); Mam (Mamluk) or MI2 (Middle Islamic II); Ay (Ayyubid); Cru (Crusader) or MI1 (Middle Islamic I); Fat (Fatimid); Ab (Abbasid) or EI2 (Early Islamic II); UM (Umayyad) or EI1 (Early Islamic I); Byz (Byzantine); Rom (Roman); LR (Late Roman); ER (Early Roman); Hel (Hellenistic); Per (Persian); Ir (Iron); Ir2 (Iron II); Ir1 (Iron I); LB (Late Bronze); MB (Middle Bronze); EB (Early Bronze); Chal (Chalcolithic); Neo (Neolithic); E (early); L (late).
Although the pottery section on the Random Square Data Sheet contains room for two pottery pails, it is unlikely that you will need more than one. Once the team is finished collecting pottery from a random square, they will combine all their pottery into a single "pail." There may be times when the configuration of sites within and near a random square make separate collections attractive. In these cases, begin a new pail number and fill out the second line. If there are more than two pails, get another Random Square Data Sheet and fill in only the "Random Square No." and the "Pottery Reading" sections.
****A more detailed pottery sheet was introduced during 1996. The pottery section discussed here is now used only for summary information.****
The objects section is used for all artifacts that have a degree of museum value, such as complete pottery vessels, coins, flints, grinding stones, watering troughs, etc. Objects will be fairly rare in the hinterland survey, but they will occur.
The first column contains the "Date" when the find was made.
The second column contains the pottery "Pail" in use at the time of the find.
The column labeled "F[ie]ld" contains a sequential field number beginning with "1" for each site. Thus the first object found at a site is assigned "1" and the second "2" and so on.
Sometimes objects are found together in groups. If so, their "Tot[al]" should be entered in the appropriate space.
Column E, "Clctd" (collected) is a column unique to the Regional Survey. Usually removing an object discovered during survey archaeology to the camp is either impractical (e.g. in the case of a three ton millstone) or impolite (e.g. removing a functioning stone cut water-trough). If an object is collected and removed to the camp, place a "Y" in this space. If an object is not collected, place an "N" in this space. If an object is not collected, be sure that adequate photographs are taken.
The column labeled "Feat[ure]" is only for objects collected specifically from an individual archaeological feature. Since random squares are not sites, this column will not be used on the Random Square Data Sheet.
The "Description" column provides space for a brief description of the object, including an identification of the object and anything which might qualify its interpretation.
The final column, "Reg. No." is to be assigned by the object registrar in camp.
As with pottery, if you have more objects than the Survey Site Sheet can accommodate, use a second sheet and enter the page number in the blank following "Continued on Pg."
The data for this section can be obtained from the Photography Recording Sheet and completed in camp. Every photo taken of the random square should be listed here, including photos of individual features found in the square. Record the "Date" the photograph was taken in the first column and the "Photo No." in the second column The final column is for a brief description of the subject in the photograph. As with pottery, if you have more photos than the Survey Site Sheet can accommodate, use a second sheet and enter the page number in the blank following "Continued on Pg."
As a "book-keeping" measure, the reverse side of this sheet begins with a condensed version of the identification section which began the sheet. Fill in the spaces to match the identification section at the beginning of the sheet.
In the section labeled "Description:" include a prose description of the random square. Be sure to discuss environmental features and land use patterns of the square. Also include all archaeological sites and features within the confines of the square and their relationships to each other and to the boundaries of the square. Finally, anything you find significant that was not covered in the above sections of the Random Square Sheet should be included here.
A. Relationships
In this space, discuss briefly the relationships between the Random Square and the surrounding geography and survey sites.
B. Food System
In this space, consider the position of this Random Square in the subsistence strategies of the region.