UWM Field School Week 3

 Week 3 of the archaeological field school - excavation continues! Students have learned the basics of shovel skimming, troweling, and screening and are now in the swing of things. All of the units were opened this week, revealing ceramics, lithics, and large features (areas of past human activity). 



Figure 1. On rainy days, students transition to other learning activities. Heavy downpours can challenge the structural integrity of a site, and we always watch the radar for safety in case a thunderstorm pops up. On Tuesday, Dr. Rick Edwards gave a lecture about the archaeological history of the area. Students learned more about Oneota artifacts and lifeways. Side note: Oneota is an archaeological, or material culture rather than an ethnographic one. People living in the past would have used another name for group identification. 


Figure 2. Ian Auger examines a piece of fire-cracked rock (often abbreviated FCR). FCR is created when rocks are heated and then deposited in a ceramic vessel to cook the food without breaking the thin ceramic walls. FCR can also occur from rocks being placed around a fire pit. 


Figure 3. Sydney Davis and Anissa Zaske map the floor of their unit. Mapping is an essential part of archaeological records. 


Figure 4. Students have to be ready for the impossible - predicting Wisconsin weather. Even in June, it is important to have coats on hand. Ava Wolcott and Madison Baynes are prepared and working on leveling their unit. 


Figure 5. The opposite weather: Nicholas Peterson and Maria Innis level their unit in full sun protective gear. Leveling involves shovel skimming in centimeters to create a uniform floor for their unit. This allows archaeologists to determine when modern "layers" end and the materials present are only from the desired time period. 

Artifact Round-Up! 



Figure 6. Sydney Davis with a scraper (used for cutting and treating meat and hides). 


Figure 7. Stone tools are referred to as 'lithics' in archaeology. 


Figure 8. A ceramic pot handle - an uncommon artifact at Koshkonong Creek Village. 


Figure 9. Hannah Bauer and Cat Vankammen holding a piece of shell-tempered pottery. 


Figure 10. Projectile point. Projectile points are chipped stone technology made through flint-knapping.


Figure 11. Elsie Touchstone holding a Madison point. A Madison point is made by pressure flaking, where flint-knappers will use percussion tools such as antler to apply pressure to shape the material.

Bonus Feature! 


Figure 12. A large feature takes up most of the floor of a 2 x 2-meter unit. Units are photographed per level, and archaeological photos must incorporate a scale and north arrow. Further excavation is needed to determine the purpose of the feature (storage, refuse, etc.). 








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