| Dig
Diaries 2006
Kelly Driscole
Archaeology Field School Journal
Day 1-- 5/8/06
Orientation
5/9/06
Arrived at the site at 10 a.m. We started to get out our supplies:
gloves, screens, shovels, etc. We then proceeded to clear off our
site of debris. Next, we staked off a 5-foot by 15-foot area that
we suspect would be the front of the lock keeper's house. Then we
marked the wall with the shovel. Then Lauren and I started to dig.
We filled out buckets and went to lunch. We came back and screened
our buckets. In EU-2 NW, where I was digging, nothing was found.
I continued to dig and again nothing. Bill then took us on a tour
of the tow path
5/10/06
Today we started a little after 10 a.m. We got our supplies out
first. We then proceeded to build a giant saw horse for our large
screen. We all then jumped into digging. Lauren found more glass.
I found a piece of plastic. The morning went by fast. We went to
lunch and when we got back Betty Fisher was digging in the pit/dump
and she found lots of stuff.
5/11/06
We arrived at the dig site at 9:30 a.m. We decided to work at the
lab because of the cold weather and chance of rain. We then went
to the lab, set up and started to clean off the artifacts Betty
found yesterday in the privy. I cleaned off the large pot that was
found in pieces. Later we will try to piece it together. We finished
cleaning off the artifacts. Then we worked on our homework.
5/15/06
Lab at the Academic Center today. We worked all together to understand
how to read a topographical map. We also made our own map. We also
finished Chapter 3 quiz.
5/16/06
We checked out our dig site and decided it was too wet to dig. We
then went to the lab. We learned Excel and cataloged items from
last years dig. Bill also showed us the canal boat.
5/17/06
Today we were at the site. I was left without a shovel so I started
working on the quizzes and shared some stories from the book with
the other students. I got to dig later and started to find coal
and glass, FINALLY!! :-)
5/18/06
I started on the next square EU 2 N. I found some glass, coal, and
some chunks of rust – wonder what they might be. Robin Knauth
showed up and started digging. It then started to rain and the wind
picked up, so we packed up and went to the lunch then to the lab.
We continued to catalog items from last years dig at the well.
5/22/06
We were all excited today to dig, but it rained again this weekend
so the site was damp. It was also all of sudden bitter cold and
windy. We decided to do Lab No. 5 about cars together and work on
the quizzes. We expected to get a lot of digging done now on because
it is suppose to get warmer.
5/23/06
We got to dig today!! I found some glass and a lot more pieces of
rust. I’m wondering what they are rusted around. Kids from
West Branch are coming on Thursday.
5/24/06
I started digging deeper in EU-2 and sifted through my bucket. Luis
then continued to dig where I was and I kept screening. We got EU-2
almost done. We also dug two test pits. Sara and I also screened
the rest of the excavation buckets that were filled by all of us.
5/25/06
Today we surveyed the area, took measurements from the bridge to
the culvert to the canal and to the site. Around noon, West Branch
School came to the site and took a tour of the canal. Then they
dug in our excavation units for a bit. We then took them to the
lab, to clean and sort. I really enjoyed the little kids digging
with me.
5/30/06
Today our goal is to level our floors in each of the excavations
units. Mine is the deepest and the most slanted. But at the end
of the day it was almost level. My parents came up to see what I
have been done. I gave them a little tour of the canal and our site.
I then showed them the lab and the restored canal boat. In the morning
Sara and I were digging and she came across something metal. We
started uncovering it, but it goes through our diamond balk and
into the wall. So we are going to have to leave it. It looks like
a rod with a square top with a round washer, a large square washer
then another small washer. Luis worked on the new map that we measured.
5/31/06
Last night there was a lightning/thunder storm. So this morning
we got to the site and there was a ton of water on top of the tarp.
It was tough getting it off of the site. When we got it off there
was a lot of water in mine and some of Sara’s units. On top
of that surprise, there were theses little caterpillar-like creatures.
I shoveled up all that we could find and put them all in a bucket.
Luis and I filled in the test pits. Also, Sara and I removed the
water from our units. Kids are coming out tomorrow so we want to
present our best work to them and teach them in good conditions.
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Robin
Van Auken, archaeologist for the project
Meet Robin Van Auken and find out more about the field school she
teaches for Lycoming College
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