4" WHS Trowel

this is the standard small excavation tool

Leaf Trowel

used for the excavation of small finds and delicate work i.e. bones

Dental pick

used for very delicate excavation work. i.e. skulls, jewellery etc

Arrows

used for setting the height of a section string line

Bulldog clips

for securing tape measure to arrows

Line Level

used for levelling a section drawing string line

Staff

the extendable stick used with a dumpy level

Tripod

the legs used to sit the dumpy on

Dumpy Level

used for spot height and levelling of site plans, small-finds and section string lines to the local datum (aod) or temporary bench mark (tbm)

Grid irons or pegs

used to set out a grid & stub knees on

Pegcaps

to put on the top of grid pegs, so it doesn't hurt when you stub one!

Mattock head

basic soil moving tool attaches to a pickaxe handle, it hurts after 8 hours

Pickaxe

for removing very very hard spoil

Shovel

used to clear up the mess of a mattock/pickaxe

Spade

used to clean up baulk edges etc

Yard broom

used to sweep out site hut

Hand brush

used to clean up ready for a photo

Hand shovel

used as a small spoil shifter when trowelling

Dutch or Drag hoe

used after the JCB/mechanical excavator has done its work, a site-cleaning tool

Wheel Barrow

used to remove spoil to spoil heap

Buckets

used to remove small heaps of spoil to wheel barrow or spoil heap

Steel Ranging Rods

used in setting up grid and as a scale in general site photography etc

Kneeler Pad

to save the knees from stone dints

3M hand tape

general site measuring rule used in planning and section drawing

20m, 30m 50m 100m tapes

used for setting out of site grids, plan and section drawing and tripping over

Photographic Scales

used to scale artefacts, sections etc in photography

Vernier gauge

used in scale or life size drawing of smaller artefacts

Plumb bob

used when drawing plans and sometimes sections

1 & 2 inch paint brushes

used when fine excavating with leaf trowel

Water resistant draughting film

used because it rains when drawing!

Chinagraph pencils

used to mark pottery shards and finds labels

Waterproof Markers

used for writing site labels so it stays on in the rain

Pencils

usually 5H or 6H to draw your plans and sections

Masking tape

used to stick draughting film to drawing board and fix leaking boots

Finds bags

used to store, record and locate small artefacts & put the tea bags in

Waterproof labels

used to 'label up' sections with context numbers

Munsell Chart

a book of colour swatches for designating soil colours

Toblerone Scale

rule used for scale drawing or reading drawings not for eating

Scalpels

used to sharpen pencils, cut section string, fingers etc

Tool Box

somewhere to hide all your tools and mars bars and to sit on during tea

Starter Kit

this has every thing you will need for an excavation as a first time Digger and some of you older ones too.

Last updated 4th January 2002