EXC/Specific Activities/TBT-EXC-018

Archaeology and Unexpected Finds

Excavations › Specific Activities › Archaeology and Unexpected Finds

Presenter		Project
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Archaeological remains including buildings, artefacts, and human burials can be encountered during excavation.
Planning conditions often require archaeological investigation before and during ground disturbance.
If archaeological remains are found unexpectedly, work in that area must stop immediately.
Human remains are subject to specific legal requirements including licensing from the Ministry of Justice.
The site archaeologist or local authority archaeology officer must be contacted to assess any finds.
Recording and preserving finds in situ is essential — disturbing them destroys irreplaceable evidence.
Unexpected finds can cause significant programme delays if not managed proactively through watching briefs.
An archaeological watching brief stations an archaeologist on site during excavation in sensitive areas.
Finds of treasure (gold, silver, and certain bronze objects over 300 years old) must be reported to the coroner.
Construction workers who discover artefacts should not attempt to excavate or recover them.

Legal obligation	Planning conditions and heritage legislation require archaeological finds to be reported, assessed, and preserved.
Programme impact	Unmanaged archaeological discoveries cause stop-work orders and delays lasting weeks or months.
Heritage value	Archaeological remains are irreplaceable evidence of the past — once destroyed by construction, they are lost forever.

Don't

Brief all excavation workers on what archaeological remains look like and what to do
Stop work immediately in the area if any suspected archaeological finds are uncovered
Report finds to the site manager and the archaeological consultant without delay
Protect the find in situ — do not excavate, clean, or remove any artefacts
Fence off the area to prevent disturbance by other workers or plant
Arrange an archaeological watching brief during excavation in known sensitive areas
Report human remains to the site manager, police, and Ministry of Justice immediately
Report treasure finds to the local coroner within 14 days as required by law
Photograph the find and its location before any further disturbance occurs
Allow the archaeologist time to record and recover the find before work resumes

DON'T continue excavation in the area after a suspected archaeological find
DON'T dig out, clean, or handle any artefacts found during excavation
DON'T move or disturb human remains — they require specific legal authorisation
DON'T keep artefacts as souvenirs — removing finds is a criminal offence in many cases
DON'T drive plant over the area where a find has been reported
DON'T dispose of soil from the find area without archaeological assessment
DON'T ignore planning conditions requiring archaeological monitoring during excavation
DON'T pressure the archaeologist to rush their assessment to maintain the programme
DON'T treat unexpected finds as an inconvenience — they have legal and heritage significance
DON'T resume excavation in the area until the archaeologist gives formal clearance

See also: Excavation Safety Awareness | Ground Conditions Assessment

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