UWM Field School Week 4

In the fourth week of field school, the excavation starts looking very different! Students work on knocking down baulks (earthen borders between test units in archaeological excavation), resulting in the area becoming a singular trench. This allows for connections between features to be revealed. 


Figure 1. Anna-Sophia Tsiolis and Jackson King record a unit find. Anna-Sophia is placing pottery into a small box to keep it safe. 


Figure 2. Taking down baulks! In the foreground, Anna-Sophia Tsiolis removes a western wall with Ava Wolcott and Madison Baynes carefully troweling where a baulk once stood to clean the area and search for artifacts. In the background, Nicholas Peterson, Elsie Touchstone, and Bryce Hansen work together to take down a unit. 


Figure 3. As the wider excavation area opens, Bryce Hansen, Rachel Stewart, Hannah Bauer, Maria Innis, Tim Piatek, Anissa Zaske, and Matthew Sharley clean the floor with trowels. 


Figure 4. Trying to get a photograph of the larger trench is a challenge. Ian Auger assists Dr. Edwards in this task. 


Figure 5. Fortunately, being lent a drone makes the process much simpler. 


Figure 6. Gil Amador learns the total station. Total stations are used in survey to measure angles and distances, producing position coordinates. 


Figure 7. Sydney Davis and Hannah Bauer use wooden skewers to carefully pedestal and eventually extract pottery. 


Figure 8. It is important to keep the trench dry and in good condition overnight. Students are carrying a tarp to cover it. 

Artifact Round-Up! 


Figure 9. An unusual lithic for the location and culture. The piece is thin and pressure-flaked. Recovered in one piece due to Tim Piatek's careful shovel skimming. 



Figure 10. A very tiny point!


Figure 11. A drill. 


Figure 12. Recovered from the plow zone, this is an early 1900s shotgun slug. 


Figure 13. Corded ceramic


Figure 14. A decorated rimsherd. 










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