Today was my initial foray into using the Overhauser magnetometer in the field. After arriving at Tsaghkahovit at 0923, Ian, Gagho, and I laid out a 20m x 20m grid, completed just before lunch. This was accomplished using the newly working TS/P/DC array, made functional the night before via phone call to Indiana (a setting deep in the DC configuration menu had to be adjusted). Anyways, in the field, the TS was first set up over BmE. We then backsighted the TS to the second benchmark at the citadel (***get name). After this, we were guided by the TS through the DC in laying down 10 stakes separated by 20m, extending northwards from BmE. The area around the stakes were spray painted. This was repeated 9 times, forming a hectare grid—our first hectare to be surveyed this season. All stakes were then removed. Next, a 20m x 20m grid was constructed, with anchor corner at BmE. 2 line measures were laid out along the W-E axis (x-axis), and stakes laid down every 5m. From here, surveyor’s tape was strung out 20m along corresponding 5m stakes. This formed the lanes the mag operator would walk.
After strapping in and setting the time, Ian completed the first two lanes. The operator surveys near the outside of a lane heading N, and returns surveying mid-lane heading S—or, away from and towards the anchor point. When the operator first starts down a lane, ‘C’ is pressed. At the 10m mark, ‘F’ is pressed. At the end of the lane, at 20m, ‘F’ is pressed (courtesy firmware bug), followed by ‘A’. This stops the mag computer from recording. ‘E’ is pressed to end the survey of one lane run, followed by ‘F’, and another ‘F’, to ready the firmware for another lane run. At the beginning of this next lane run, ‘C’ is pressed again. The operator must be aware of rocks, favoring following of the geographical contours over sideways deviation. A steady pace must be used. The faster the operator traverses the grid, the more noise clutters the data, but in our case, this survey benefits more from greater area covered rather than clean data, as the features we are studying will be obvious with or without noise. If I recall correctly, it took about 1.5 hours to clear a 400m^2 grid.
Back at Ian’s excavation, it seems from a brief overview than mostly bones were excavated, including a bovid jaw and scapula.
Also, Albert bestowed unto me a wooden bracelet formed from 12 rectangular pieces about 2.5cm x 2cm, interspersed uniformly with twelve pairs of wooden beads in tandem, all strung together with two elastic strings. Three of the small wood panels have, respectively, modern, oval pictures of Baby J, Mary, and some angel dude, or more like a king. God? Holy Spirit? St. Peter? Some katoliko? I know not. Pretty sweet though.