Lantern Heritage has in-house expertise in geoarchaeology, applying techniques from the Earth sciences to archaeology to streamline processes and improve outcomes. We integrate modern, scientific methods of detecting, assessing and interpreting sites and landscapes, from desktop research right through to post-excavation analysis. This means clients can have confidence that our assessments are the gold standard when it comes to understanding and defining areas of archaeological potential within their project. Early identification of these areas of risk is critical when it comes to identifying options for mitigating potential delays and/or costs associated with a development.
Our in-house expertise in geoarchaeology also means that we are in a position to value-add to heritage interpretations through cost-effective delivery of high-end post-excavation analysis outputs. These include:
- microstratigraphic analysis (high resolution analysis of archaeological layers);
- archaeobotany (investigation of plant remains);
- archaeofaunal analysis (investigation of animal remains);
- radiocarbon dating (age estimates form organic samples);
- optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating (age estimates for inorganic samples), and;
- geochemical analyses (useful in prospection and understanding past activities).
Such outputs are increasingly important as communities want a better understanding of their ancestors daily lives, their economies and their relationships to place. Such insights are often unavailable when using traditional archaeological techniques.