31日 3D Scanner & Water Flotation

Yesterday was a very busy day on site! Before we removed the human burial from the ground we used our Scene Digitizer to take a 3D scan. The scan not only gives us a digital record of the burial itself but it allows us to create a digital reconstruction of the burial environment. This reconstruction is very important for analyzing the burial within its archaeological context.

Today we began a new job at the lab: flotation. Flotation is an important process for recovering plant remains from archaeological sites. Once you decide where to take your sediment sample for flotation, you fill a machine with water and pour the sample in. Then you mix up the sample very carefully and any organic materials, like seeds, float to the top. You then help the materials flow over the side of the machine into a special sieve that catches the sample. It's wet, messy work but a lot of fun!