A mitigation plan has been assembled and approved for the 9Lu(DOT)l excavation. According to this mitigation plan, the first step will be to stake the DOT right-of-way to the west of the bridge. All excavation will be restricted to that right-of-way. A datum will then be established outside of, but convenient to the area to be studied, and a topographic map of the site made.. It is suggested that the topographic map be done with 15 centimeter (6 inch) contour intervals. The entire site area within the DOT right-of-way is then to be plowed so that controlled collections can be made. It is important that the plowing be done in a manner so as the disturbance does not exceed 8 to 10 inches (20 to 25 centimeters) in order to prevent damage to the preserved midden. A horizontal control grid will then be placed (tied to the datum point). This control grid should be in metric units, and each square in the control grid should measure precisely 6 meters by 6 meters (18 by 18 feet). The controlled surface collection will then be made within these units, with the purpose of delineating areas of artifact concentrations. It is anticipated that areas of artifact concentrations will reflect the presence of preserved midden and/or features, and that these areas can then be explored through the placement of 2 meter by 2 meter (6 by 6 feet) squares. The method of excavation of the squares is well delineated on pages 8 and 9 of the Proposal for Data Recovery: 9Lu(_DOT)1, which was prepared by the Georgia Department of Transportation, and need not be repeated in this proposal. SSI will adhere to the methods as described. A potential addition to the methods described might become necessary as the excavation proceeds. The 2 meter by 2 meter square approach may not prove to be adequate to reach the research goals that will be described in following sections. It may be necessary to open a series of trenches with mechanical equipment in order to expose larger areas of the site. An attempt will be made to retrieve the desired data from 2 meter by 2 meter squares before a decision regarding larger scale stripping is made.
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