Department of Anthropology
114 MacBride Hall
Iowa City, IA 52242-1322
Phone: 319-335-0522
Fax: 319-335-0653
E-mail: anthropology at uiowa.edu
2008
Department of Anthropology
Workshops in Historical Archaeology
Workshops 1 and 2 run concurrently
113:199 WK 1 Field Research in Archaeology
For those with no prior archaeological field experience
No prerequisites for Workshop 1
Enrollment: 16
113:199 WK 2 Field Research in Archaeology
For those with prior archaeological field experience
Previous field experience for Workshop 2
Enrollment: 4
SPEC PER CODE X: Special Permission Required for all Students
COORDINATOR AND FIELD DIRECTOR
Professor Thomas H. Charlton
charlton@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu
Dates: May 19-June 6, 2008
Locations
Plum Grove Historic Site, 1030 Carroll St., Iowa City
Retirement Home (1844-1943) of Robert Lucas, the first Territorial Governor of Iowa with continued occupation until 1943
In collaboration with the State of Iowa Historical Department and the Johnson County Historical Society
Plum Grove website
and/or
The Secrest Barn (round barn 1883) farmstead occupied from 1860s to to-day near West Branch and Downey, Iowa (5 miles east of Iowa City)
In collaboration with Professor Richard Tyler
Alternate location for Rain Days: Laboratory MH 17B
Credit: 3 Semester Hours for one of the two workshops
8:00 am-12:00 and 1:00pm-5 pm Daily Except for Memorial Day
Students will be instructed in basic archaeological field methods in the context of research into:
a. material culture correlates of the socio-economic status of the successive families living at one of the farmsteads,
b. the changing economic linkages of the region with national and international production and distribution patterns during the periods of occupancy, and
c. the sequence, pattern, and use of outbuildings around a farm house during this time period.
Workshop 1
Students will test auger areas to locate features and archaeological remains. They will then lay out a 2x2 m square with a "pit-partner", or a 1x1 m square alone, take off sod, excavate in arbitrary and/or natural levels where appropriate, screen the soil removed to recover materials for analysis, control for elevation with a transit and stadia rod, deal with features (e.g. intrusive pits, building footings), draw profiles and plans, and take soil samples and C14 samples.Test augering will be carried out at the bottom of the excavation. Students will be instructed in note taking skills using standardize forms and a daily note book journal. On rain/storm days initial processing, washing, and identification or materials will be carried out in the archaeology laboratory in 17B MH.
Workshop 2
Students with prior field experience will be given the opportunity to excavate complex features located but not excavated in full during prior years. These include, but are not limited to, building foundations, a cattle slaughtering activity area, water and septic systems. There will be additional training on the use of the transit for mapping.
Procedures
Instruction: The TA and the instructor provide on the spot instruction prior to and during all phases of the excavations.
Evaluation: Based on participation, learning and practice of excavation and recording techniques. Field notes and journals are reviewed and returned with an interim grade and suggestions each weekend.
Text Book: There is no text book. Students will be given a list of terms and a description of procedures. Published and unpublished background information on the sites are provided.
All necessary field equipment and recording forms are supplied.
Students are responsible for their own lodging, transportation and meals. Efforts are made to set up housing and rides for those who need them.
Addenda
The field school workshops provide both undergraduate and graduate students with an easy way to learn field techniques and to evaluate the depth of their interest in archaeology by working on The Archaeology of Us. They are able to stay in Iowa City, keep their night jobs, and only commit to a short, but effective, period of time to archaeology.
After finishing one of the workshops students have subsequently gone on to other field schools, local, out-of-state, and abroad, to gain additional expertise in other settings.