Phase II archaeological investigations are required to determine if a cultural site is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Phase II fieldwork generally consists of obtaining good artifact-type and location data from the site surface by such methods as grid collections, piece plotting, etc. Scaled drawings will be prepared to record the presence and location of all surface features, including, but not limited to, foundations, wells, cisterns, etc. A remote sensing survey should be conducted to identify the presence of buried cultural features. A small-scale excavation follows this step. ln some cases the fieldwork (commonly called excavation blocks or test units) can be done with the assistance of machines, like backhoes. It is sometimes necessary to dig by hand at inaccessible locations. The test units are excavated to the base of the plow zone or topsoil, and then the base of the unit is checked for the presence of archaeological features, such as foundations, pits, hearths, and middens. If features are present, a small number (generally not more than 5 to 10) are excavated fully or in part to provide information about the site’s age, function, integrity, etc. Soil samples are usually taken from each feature for botanical and zoological analysis. The amount of time required for fieldwork is highly dependent on the size of a site, on whether machinery can be used, on the density of features, as well as on the weather. The archaeological contractor will determine the most appropriate testing methods based on the topography, access, etc.
