Why does nobody talk about hand trowels vs. flat shovels for digging test pits?

Last weekend I was out at a site near my buddy's farm and I decided to try my hand trowel on a trench instead of the usual flat shovel. The trowel let me feel every change in soil texture way better I found a tiny pottery shard about 2 inches deep that I would have just smashed with the shovel. My back was killing me after 3 hours though so I guess there's a trade off. Has anyone else switched to a smaller tool and found way more stuff accidentally?

3 comments

3 Comments

tarag2816d ago

The trowel gives you way better feedback on what's happening in the dirt, that's why I've been using one more for the first few inches too. Plus you can work around roots and rocks without wrecking your finds, just gotta accept the sore back as part of the deal.

gray616d ago

Man that back pain is no joke, I feel you completely. I've been there hunched over for hours and regretted it the next morning every time. Did you find yourself taking more breaks to stretch it out or just power through?

price.tara14d ago

Used to be all about speed with a flat shovel honestly. Told myself finer tools were just for the overly careful types who take forever. But reading this makes me want to try the trowel out on my next pit, see if I've been missing stuff that obvious.