The flotation machine, shown at right, is nice example a SMAP type machine, at use on excavations at the Vinca site in Serbia-- one of the largest Neolithic tell sites on the Danube River, where Ksenija Borojevic, of Boston University, has been carrying out archaeobotanical research.

 At left is a close-up of the murky water of the central drum, which overspills into a perimeter gutter which then drain from the spout into fine mesh cloth secured with cloth pins. An animation of this process can be seenon the  machine flotation introductory page. 

After flotation, the remaining heavy residue also needs to be rinsed (at right), and then sorted.

The photos on this page, are courtesy of Ksenija Borojevic, Dept. of Archaeology, Boston University, shown at left, doing preliminary analysis of macro-remains in the field lab at Vinca.

Another Serbian flotation program used an alternative, innovative flotation machine design, made by Milorad Ignjatovic, archaeologist at Belgrade City Museum. 

Information about it was forwarded by Dragana Filipovic. 

Yes, it is a converted plastic rubbish bin! 

But it is reported to do its job well. It is small/light (and on wheels) (which is probably not always an advantage), light and portable.