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I had to choose between a quick dig and a careful one at a site near Tucson

We found a potential burial site last week, and the project lead wanted to rush it to stay on schedule. I argued we had to go slow, documenting every layer with photos and a grid system. We went with the careful method, and it took two extra days, but we found a small carved stone tool that would have been crushed otherwise. Has anyone else had to fight for more time on a dig and been glad they did?
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3 Comments
nancygrant
nancygrant2mo ago
Always push for the careful dig. That extra time lets you map the soil changes and find those small, fragile items. We once saved a set of bone beads that way, because we were brushing instead of shoveling. It's worth the fight every time.
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grace_bailey
grace_bailey2mo agoTop Commenter
Oh man, I had the exact same fight over a hearth feature last year.
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the_christopher
Yeah, the hearth debate is a classic. @grace_bailey, I bet you had the whole "historical charm" vs "wasted floor space" argument. My cousin spent months trying to explain why a non-working brick platform was a "room's anchor." Just put a plant on it, man. What did you end up doing with yours?
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