You Can’t Make an Omelette without Breaking an Egg. Surveying Submerged Paleo-terrains with a Mechanical Excavator

Abstract

Preserved Stone Age sites and prehistoric landscapes under water can often be challenging to find and access for archaeologists. In consequence, the Viking Ship Museum has, within recent years, frequently used mechanical excavators in archaeological surveys to find and delineate Stone Age sites and prehistoric landscape features. In this article, the authors provide an overview of the introduction of mechanical excavators in maritime archaeology. The respective advantages and limitations of the method are then discussed in light of different scientific and practical considerations. Finally, as a case study, we present our proposed best practice for the method using the recent archaeological survey at the development-led project of Lynetteholmen, Copenhagen. The authors conclude that using mechanical excavators to survey paleo-landscapes is a very effective but potentially destructive method. Most importantly, the method provides access to sediment depths and areas that are inaccessible to divers alone.