Archaeology And The Urban Landscape

Archaeology within urban landscapes has become increasingly commonplace within the last few decades. As more and more intact urban sites are discovered, it has become apparent that standard archaeological techniques in the form of surface surveys, hand excavation of test units, and remote sensing are often ineffective. Instead, extensive archival research and deep block excavations are imperative for urban archaeology. Safety concerns, such as hazardous waste and the dangers of excavating deep features, also need to be considered. Another dilemma concerns coping with the vast quantity of cultural remains recovered from urban features. This symposium will focus on methods for identifying buried remains and examine various issues involved with archaeological investigations in an urban context.