When excavation is required, precision matters.
Archaeological excavation is among the most consequential activities in heritage management — once a site is excavated, the physical context of what is found can never be fully restored. Precision, methodology, documentation and cultural sensitivity are not optional extras in excavation work. They are the foundations of the discipline. Trace Archaeology conducts archaeological excavation and salvage to the highest professional standards, ensuring that every excavation produces a thorough, accurate and culturally respectful record of what was found, where it was found and what it means.
Salvage excavation is typically required when an Aboriginal Heritage Place cannot be avoided by project design and Section 18 consent has been granted for activities that will affect the site. Rather than simply clearing the site for development, salvage excavation recovers, documents and analyses the archaeological material present — creating a permanent record of the site's content and significance before the physical evidence is disturbed. Trace Archaeology manages salvage excavation programmes from initial planning and community consultation through to fieldwork, laboratory analysis and final reporting.
Our excavation methodology follows current best practice standards established by the Australian Association of Consulting Archaeologists Inc. (AACAI) and is tailored to the specific characteristics of each site — its depth, density, material composition and cultural significance. We use a range of excavation techniques appropriate to the site type and research questions, including hand excavation of test pits and trenches, mechanical stripping under archaeological supervision, systematic artefact recovery and detailed stratigraphic recording.
Our team includes qualified archaeologists, anthropologists and osteologists — meaning we can manage excavations that encounter not only lithic artefacts and cultural deposits but also human skeletal material, which requires specialist expertise and sensitive, culturally appropriate management in consultation with Traditional Owners and the relevant state authority.
Throughout every excavation, we maintain close communication with Traditional Owners and Cultural Custodians — ensuring they are informed of findings as they emerge, consulted on management decisions and given the opportunity to be present on site where they wish to be. Our excavation reports are comprehensive, peer-reviewed documents that contextualise findings within the broader archaeological and cultural landscape of the region.
Trace Archaeology is a division of Trace Enterprises — Perth's only fully integrated heritage, environmental and planning consultancy.
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Every heritage and environmental project starts with the right conversation.
Whatever your heritage or environmental project needs, Trace Archaeology and Trace Ecology is ready to help. Talk to our team today — no obligation.