Many of our non-archaeologist readers may wonder what happens at the conclusions of an excavation. In addition to taking final notes and completing some drawings, the last day is dedicated to backfilling. Backfilling is when all of the earth and stone removed from the excavation unit during the course of the season has to go back in the ground. Not only does this protect any remains uncovered during the season, but it leaves the surface of the site looking the same as it did when we arrived.
Our procedure is to first place a modern coin in the base of the excavation unit. In the event that a future archaeologist re-excavated this location, they would be able to identify our intrusive excavation and date it to at our era.
Because we may return to this location in following seasons, we lay down plastic at the bottom of the unit (but above the coin). In the future we can start right where we left.
Once the plastic is in place, we first replace the stones.
Next comes all of the dirt.
And finally, a special PADO protocol this season is to tamp the earth with a laughing Katia. We are convinced that this will be common practice on future Honduran archaeology projects.
...the result of all our hard work.
All of the backfilling kept us in the field an hour later than usual. Lunch was great, but all felt we needed a bit more. The project decided to spring for pasteries with our afternoon coffee break. 
They certainly made typing in the final notes more palatable.
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