Field-walking

In archaeology field walking is a process used to assess the likely extent of past human activity in an area through a methodical and systematic collection of surface artefacts. Field walking is most efficiently used on exposed soil and ploughed fields are ideal places. For best results the fields should have been exposed for a while after ploughing to allow weathering of soil to expose artefacts, but before any crop starts to grow.

Often not all of the chosen area is walked over but evenly spaced walkers sample certain areas. The artefacts are then mapped and the relative densities of artefacts within the site may help locate areas with archaeological potential.