Mortimer Wheel Method
The Sexton Archaeology team and I utilised the Mortimer Wheel method of excavating the Abbey Museum Site. This Entailed
• Dividing the site into 1m X 1m intervals using string and wooden stakes. Each pair would focus on each individual grid. The grids were categorised by A, B, C, D letters and a corresponding number around the perimeter.
• One team member would define the Balks about approximately 10cm in width from the edge of the grid.
• Subsequently, we began excavating the site using a trowel and Dustpan. Unlike standard digging, which creates holes, we removed a thin layer of dirt into a bucket, which was sifted through by the other partner to inspect for any small fragments of artefacts that may have been overlooked.
• Each finding …show more content…
This method is used to ensure that no damage is done to the artefacts, as they are very weakened from age. Once removed each artefact was dusted and placed into a container for further examination.
Subsequently, further research was conducted to investigate the artefacts found using secondary sources such as Posters, Websites and Articles.
3.0 Findings
3.1 Relevant Egyptian Background Material – A Brief Summary and History
Egyptian Burial was the term for Egyptian funeral rites concerning death and a soul’s journey into the Afterlife. Burial Rituals were different between social and economic classes; People such as Pharaoh’s and the wealthy were buried in Mastaba’s Inside these Mastaba’s they packed what they believed could possibly be useful to them in the afterlife. However, regardless of whether a burial was above ground or below eventually it would probably have been robbed. Very few tombs survived the millennia intact. Ancient Egyptian burials often include small human figures known as “shabti , canopic jars etc.
3.2 The Archaeological Site and Finds – Location/Description
The various archaeological findings of the eight teams are as
• Dividing the site into 1m X 1m intervals using string and wooden stakes. Each pair would focus on each individual grid. The grids were categorised by A, B, C, D letters and a corresponding number around the perimeter.
• One team member would define the Balks about approximately 10cm in width from the edge of the grid.
• Subsequently, we began excavating the site using a trowel and Dustpan. Unlike standard digging, which creates holes, we removed a thin layer of dirt into a bucket, which was sifted through by the other partner to inspect for any small fragments of artefacts that may have been overlooked.
• Each finding …show more content…
This method is used to ensure that no damage is done to the artefacts, as they are very weakened from age. Once removed each artefact was dusted and placed into a container for further examination.
Subsequently, further research was conducted to investigate the artefacts found using secondary sources such as Posters, Websites and Articles.
3.0 Findings
3.1 Relevant Egyptian Background Material – A Brief Summary and History
Egyptian Burial was the term for Egyptian funeral rites concerning death and a soul’s journey into the Afterlife. Burial Rituals were different between social and economic classes; People such as Pharaoh’s and the wealthy were buried in Mastaba’s Inside these Mastaba’s they packed what they believed could possibly be useful to them in the afterlife. However, regardless of whether a burial was above ground or below eventually it would probably have been robbed. Very few tombs survived the millennia intact. Ancient Egyptian burials often include small human figures known as “shabti , canopic jars etc.
3.2 The Archaeological Site and Finds – Location/Description
The various archaeological findings of the eight teams are as