Sieving thumb|Sieving during an excavation in Sweden. The use of sieving (screening) is more common on research-based excavations where more time is available. Some success has been achieved with the use of cement mixers and bulk sieving. This method allows the quick removal of context by shovel and mattock yet allows for a high retrieval rate. Spoil is shoveled into cement mixers and water added to form a slurry which is then poured through a large screen mesh. The speed of this technique is offset by the damage it does to more fragile artifacts.
sieving thumb|sieving during an excavation in sweden the use of sieving (screening) is more common on research-based excavations where more time is available some success has been achieved with the use of cement mixers and bulk sieving this method allows the quick removal of context by shovel and mattock yet allows for a high retrieval rate spoil is shoveled into cement mixers and water added to form a slurry which is then poured through a large screen mesh the speed of this technique is offset by the damage it does to more fragile artifacts