| Dig
Diaries 2005
April Bentz
Archaeology Field School Journal
5/9/05
Today we took a tour of the Muncy historical museum where we got
an idea of what to expect on our own dig. We then started clearing
out the area where the alleged well was thought to be and found
a concrete slab covering the well that dated October of 1923. We
cleared around the slightly cracking slab and found glass, rock,
wood, and most interesting a circular object that seems to be a
plate. Further cleaning must be done before the date and type of
plate can be determined.
5/10
Today we removed the well cap and began digging. We removed the
cap by using straps to create our own pulley system. It took some
maneuvering and muscle but it was eventually removed and we were
able to begin digging our layer away from the back side of the well.
We also got to sift for the first time but nothing too interesting
was found.
5/11
Job interview-wasn’t at class
5/12
Today we finally started finding cool stuff in the well. We have
set up the cords around the excavation area and also began clearing
more of an area around the well for us tow walk around and maneuver
in. We found a lot of ceramic from dishes and pottery. There were
also a lot of nails found today. I can only imagine what we will
find when we actually get the well opened.
5/13
We started layer two of our excavation of the backside of the well
today. Our unit is also split into four different regions and artifacts
are separated between them (based on where they were found). We
found a few pieces of ceramic but for the most part section two
was bare. This is great because now we are going to focus more on
removing the back wall of the well so that we can dig the inside
of it. Our excavation area is also getting set-up more. We now have
tables, tape, a radio, and travel paths around the site.
5/16-5/18
On these three days we continued to dig out the back side of the
well so that we could make the ground level with the top of the
well so that excavation on the well could begin. This was very monotonous
because we dug and sifted for the majority of the three days and
just continued to find ceramic, nails, shells, clay, pottery, and
a few animal bone remains. The excavation unit has also been expanded
because a lot of the trees and shrubbery has been cleared away and
the area where the lock tender’s house is thought to lie has
been found on the ground. Right now we are just digging and working
so that we can eventually clear away the well’s back wall.
5/19
Today we cleaned artifacts at the barn but then left to take a tour
of the Williamsport Historical Museum. The tour showed us many Indian
artifacts and history, but also showed us some of the artifacts
that are being stored in the museum. This was very interesting because
I did not realize how much is actually found and kept but can not
be displayed.
5/23
Today we finally began removing the back side of the wall and flattened
all of the surrounding walls. We discovered that there is a stone
path stuck in one of the walls that was probably the original layer
of earth at the time the well was in use. The rocks of the wall
were removed and after some clearing up later in the week we can
begin digging the well. The measurements around the well were also
taken and evened out, drawn, and recorded so that exact measurements
of the excavation unit were there before digging of the well actually
began.
5/24
Today it rained so we had the day to do work.
5/25
Today was rainy and cold, so we met at the lab for artifact cleaning
but after a few hours were dismissed and were assigned to clean
and organize artifacts on the Excel sheet.
5/26
Today we actually began digging in the well! It was tedious and
slow-paced because only one person can dig at a time, but we actually
began finding more artifacts as soon as we began. Although we continued
to find the usual artifacts, we also found some rope, plastic and
paper on the first surface layer of the well. It was exciting to
see something new.
5/31-6/1
I missed class these days for an interview in Philadelphia.
6/2
For our last class we met at the barn where I sifted through layer
6 well artifacts. We have actually begun water sifting because of
the consistency of the dirt, which is much more tedious, but is
also necessary because of how important many of the well artifacts
might be.
That’s it! Thanks for a great May term! It has been a lot
of fun, and probably one of my favorite classes of the last four
years…good luck and keep me posted on how things go!!!
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