Palaeontological excavation: historical perspectives

Abstract

Palaeontological excavation is common in a limited number of contexts. The techniques used in the excavation of caves were established in the nineteenth century by Buckland, Pengelly and Dawkins and others. Whilst this approaches modem method it was operated within the confines of inductive science prevalent at the time. Open-site excavations of Pleistocene remains began in spectacular fashion with the investigations in American of Peale. The philosophical societies of Yorkshire also pursued their own local research projects which resulted in the early excavation of a marl pit at Bielbecks. Modem methodology is epitomized in the excavations at Rancho La Brea. The excavation of the exceptional fauna of Messel, and of dinosaur sites worldwide, shows the development of techniques chosen to meet local needs. Excavation of the Frodingham Ironstone exploited a unique resource of invertebrate fossils and demonstrates the merit of the technique in exposing rare elements in the fauna and the potential of professional collectors in building public collections using these methods.