Time and efficiency in data recovery: an experiment comparing wet and dry sieving in Pilbara rockshelter excavations

There has been considerable discussion in archaeology about the benefits of sieving in terms of recovery of particular classes of archaeological material. Less attention has been paid to questions of efficiency and cost effectiveness in the context of consulting archaeology. An experiment was conductedon excavated assemblages from inland Pilbara rockshelters comparing the results of wet and dry sieving in terms of time expended. The results suggest that the additional time spent in wet sieving can be largely offset by greater efficiency in recording and analysis. This, together with the undoubtedbenefit of improved recovery of archaeological material, confirms the value of wet sieving for reliably assessing sites.