Surveying and Excavations at Senèze: 2001–2006: Evaluating and Comparing Techniques for the Recovery of Fossil Remains

We provide the description of goals and techniquesSurvey techniques of surveying and drawing of fossils in the 2001–2006 excavation campaigns in the Lower Pleistocene deposits of Senèze (Haute-Loire, France). After a detailed survey at 1:1000 scale of each targeted parcel, a new topographic map of the whole site was established. During the excavations a total stationTotal station was employed as the main topographic instrumentOptical instruments. Detailed drawing and positioning of each fossil concentration was accomplished mainly by digital photographs followed by GIS treatment. From these images we have drawn each fossil on the general site map, linking it to the database. We illustrate here the three main fossil concentrations, consisting of partial skeletons of Dicerorhinus etruscus, Eucladoceros ctenoidesEucladocerosctenoides and Allohippus senezensis. Finally, we provide an evaluation of different spatial data recording techniques in unconsolidated fossiliferous deposits.