Geoarchaeology is the application of earth science principles and techniques to the understanding of the archaeological record. The range and scale of activities it involves requires a broad understanding on the part of the user.
English Heritage has produced guidelines aiming to help promote that understanding by examining the spread of geoarchaeological activities from different perspectives. They are intended for a range of archaeological professionals represented chiefly by curators and contractors, with the level of detail being decided by balancing the needs of those two groups.
The document covers common site-forming processes, the information gained from different geoarchaeological methods, and typical on-site problems that regularly occur. Later sections offer advice on project organisation, including how best to programme geoarchaeology into future projects and how to get help once an excavation is in progress.
