tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37180325153115028472024-03-13T12:05:39.622-07:00Montana ArchaeologyA public book project on the archaeology of Montana (14,000 BP - The Present)Lance M. Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404310713482611952noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718032515311502847.post-69966125046458050652013-04-11T11:27:00.003-07:002013-04-11T11:27:59.937-07:00Summer Archaeology Opportunities in the Helena Area<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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There are basically two opportunities to get some archaeological experience in the Helena area I have heard about for this summer.<div>
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1. The field school through Carroll College. Costs seem to be $100 for the class supplies. Most field schools also require that you be a student at the college that is sponsoring it. So that would involve extra paperwork and costs. That is in a separate post.</div>
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2. The Helena National Forest is doing a joint project with the field school, but this other route doesn't require that you be a student at Carroll and it won't cost you anything at all.</div>
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Both of these are training experiences. They don't pay you anything. But once you get done, you have this experience under your belt and you can apply to be a field technician for one of the CRM firms in Montana and the West. I used to do that sort of work, like in "Shovel Bum," before I went to grad school.</div>
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Here's the info on the Forest Service opportunity. It is hard work but it is a blast, especially if you like the outdoors and have the freedom to be away from home:</div>
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Helena NF</h2>
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<span class="style28" style="color: red; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Deadline Extended!</span> North Big Belts Archaeological Survey</h3>
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MT-4148<br /><strong>June 10-14; 15-19, 2013 (including weekend)</strong></div>
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<strong>Must commit to minimum of five days</strong></div>
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Join us this summer for an archaeological adventure in the back woods of Montana! During this project, PIT volunteers and Forest staff will participate in a two-part, archaeological survey in the North Big Belt Mountains. The work will be done in conjunction with the Carroll College Archaeological Field School, which has run for several weeks each summer since 2010, and is based out of Helena and directed by Dr. Lauri Travis. Volunteers and students will work together in an "outdoor classroom" environment, learning to conduct archaeological surveys and record sites. During previous field schools, students have located and tested various prehistoric rock shelters and lithic (stone tool and debris) scatters dating to over 3,000 years B.P. (ca. Late Archaic Period). Instruction will include demonstration of proper pedestrian survey techniques, site mapping and recording, artifact identification, and use of satellite mapping systems (GPS). During Session 1, we will survey at mid-elevation ranges (5,000-6,000 feet asl) in the Gates of the Mountains Wilderness for 5 days. We will be doing primitive camping on site, and we'll be backpacking into the study area. Work, study, and other equipment will be packed in on horses. During Session 2, we will move our camp and our studies out of the Wilderness to higher elevations (6,000-7,000 feet asl) accessible only by high-clearance, 4-wheel-drive vehicles, which will entail further primitive car or tent camping. This promises to be some tough, sweaty, and dirty work at points, but participants will come away with some brand new or, at least, newly-honed skills, and will be working in some picturesque and breath-taking country! So, bring your work ethic, your eagerness to learn, and your desire to get "back to nature," and join us in June for a "hike into the past!"</div>
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<strong>Number of openings: </strong>4</div>
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<strong>Special skills: </strong><strong><em>Must</em></strong> be physically capable of hiking for long periods each day over rough terrain, and in a variety of weather conditions; <strong><em>Must</em></strong> be physically capable of sustained efforts at higher altitudes; <strong><em>Must</em></strong><em> <strong>have experience with leave-no-trace, primitive camping, and backpacking</strong></em>; previous archaeological survey, mapping, artifact identification, sketching, GPS, and/or photography experience helpful and welcomed, but not required</div>
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<strong>Minimum age: </strong>18 years old</div>
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<strong>Facilities: </strong>Session 1: primitive, tent camping in project area; no potable water, no facilities; Session 2: car or primitive tent camping; no potable water, no facilities; volunteers responsible for personal camping equipment, food, water and/or water purifier, and initial transportation to designated meeting area (Ranger District Office in Helena); FS will provide transportation to project area/camp and back <strong><em>at beginning and end of project only</em></strong>; signed waivers will be required to ride in FS vehicles</div>
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<strong>Nearest towns: </strong>Helena, 25 miles</div>
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<strong>Applications due: </strong><span class="style28" style="color: red; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Deadline Extended!</span></div>
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The info is here, along with other Montana opportunities in other Forests: <a href="http://www.passportintime.com/currentprojects/Montana.html" style="color: #4b82d5; text-decoration: none;">http://www.passportintime.com/currentprojects/Montana.html</a></div>
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Lance M. Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404310713482611952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718032515311502847.post-86190632279172447012012-11-01T08:52:00.000-07:002012-11-01T08:52:00.948-07:00Montana's Success<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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What are some of the things that all civilizations that crash have in common?<br />
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Overuse of natural resources is a big one, whether because of overpopulation or waste or having some grand ideas that are held to be more important than living in balance.<br />
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Overpopulation... yep, we are there...<br />
Waste...yep<br />
Grand ideas, ideologies, that are more important than living in balance... yep<br />
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When I teach archaeology, people are always asking why all those other countries had these great civilizations, the Maya, the Egyptians...and so on... yet Montana did not<br />
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Success is thought of as "progress" (whatever "progress" is...if you end up destroying yourselves, is it really "progress"?)<br />
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Up until the introduction of the horse in about AD 1650-1700, Montana's Indians lived mostly the same way, hunting and gathering, through different climate changes, changing only the species they focused on hunting or gathering. Certainly there were times they starved in the late winter and early spring. Yet Montana Indians lived pretty much the same way of life for over 11,000 years.<br />
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That's a different kind of "success" I'd say.<br />
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Lance M. Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404310713482611952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718032515311502847.post-4547744268929905292012-07-27T07:46:00.001-07:002012-07-27T07:46:39.530-07:00The Red Paint Cave<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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"Where did the Salish first come from? We know only the story our old men told our men down from the beginning: the first Salish were driven down from the country of big ice mountains, where there were strange animals. Fierce people who were not Salish drove them south. So in our stories our people have said, 'The river of life, for us, heads in the north.'<br />
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After many generations, the Salish held the grounds from way west, eastward, and past the red-paint caves near Helena." -Flathead/Salish elders interviewed by Bon Whealdon in 1923, quoted by Ella Clark in her book "Indian Legends from the Northern Rockies" (University of Oklahoma Press, 1966, p. 107).<br />
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I read this passage in my teens, in the 1970s, when I read all the mythology and Indian history I could. I always wondered, where are these red paint caves? Years later I learned of various red paint (iron oxides, etc.) deposits in the area, along the banks of the Missouri near Townsend, and further away, along some of the road cuts between Helena and Missoula, yet I never heard of any "red-paint caves near Helena," and no one I talked to had either.<br />
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When I worked for the Helena National Forest as an archaeologist in the early to mid-1990s, I found a cave in one of the gulches of the Big Belt mountains. Most cave entrances in the Belts are above eye level, but this one was down below the road and looked to be a long crack under the cliffs inclining downward, with lots of loose eroded material sloping down into the cave. I went down, as it was walkable, more like a very large rockshelter really. I always hoped to locate human activity in such places, as that was my job, to document these places.<br />
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Once I slid my way down onto the cave floor, I noticed there was a screen set up there, as if someone had been doing archaeology, through there was no record of any such efforts, at least not since the Canyon Ferry surveys of the 1950s by Richard Forbis and Carling Malouf. It was dim of course, but the floor was stable, the room was long and of decent size if my memory serves me correctly, though the ceiling was low. I could see the cave continued back and downward into blackness. Not being a spelunker and aware of cave hazards, I backed off and made my notes, and told myself I would return with some folks and investigate further. Work however had other priorities, and I never returned.<br />
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This week I was reading James A. Teit's "The Flathead Group," an extract from "The Salishan Tribes of the Western Plateaus" (45th B.A.E. Annual Report, 1927-28)...On page 340:<br />
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"A famous spot for obtaining red paint in the Flathead country was at a'pel yu'tsamen ('possessing red paint'), near Helena. The paint was obtained from a large, long cave under a cliff. As the paint rock was at the head of the cave, and it was quite dark inside, a rope was tied to the waist of the man who went in, so that he might readily find his way back. When the head of the cave was reached the searcher felt with his hands and pulled down blocks of the decomposed rock, returning with as much as he could carry. When he came out he divided the paint among the people, who put it into hide sacks. Long ago the best quality of paint rock from this place was exported by the Helena people to neighboring tribes. After the introduction of horses, parties of Flathead and their allies [their later historical allies included the various Salishan groups, Nez Perce, and sometimes the Shoshoni] gathered paint at this place when passing or hunting near there. It is said that several men lost their lives or were injured in this cave by rocks falling on them. There was also a belief that this cave could open and shut at will, and that several men had been killed by it." (p. 340).<br />
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Was this cave I entered the red-paint cave of the Flathead/Salish tradition? Perhaps. The description of the cave is right. The gulches in this area are full of pictographs painted in red on the cliffs. Most of these seem to be related to the vision quest vigil, where the seeker fasted in a lonely place in hope that a spirit-power (Salish: "sumesh") would take pity and grant medicine (spiritual power/ability) to the seeker. Perhaps not. But the caves still await discovery.<br />
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I located several interesting places and had a few odd experiences during my job as an archaeologist in the Helena National Forest and over the next few posts, I will relate some of them here. I shall not pinpoint the locations exactly, because people tend to vandalize what they don't understand.<br />
<br /></div>Lance M. Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404310713482611952noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718032515311502847.post-91819482981757511062010-08-09T03:53:00.000-07:002010-08-09T03:53:58.188-07:00"Prehistoric Peacemaking"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-SILlLeJhY0/TF_d_ZtxxuI/AAAAAAAAAp8/dDFOUlxx7F4/s1600/making-peace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-SILlLeJhY0/TF_d_ZtxxuI/AAAAAAAAAp8/dDFOUlxx7F4/s320/making-peace.jpg" /></a></div><br />
This is an oil painting I did a number of years ago. It portrays two precontact Native American groups in Montana, ready for war, but choosing to make peace instead. The large shields which covered more of the body were used previous to the introduction of the horse. Currently it is in a private collection in Nebraska.Lance M. Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404310713482611952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718032515311502847.post-18569379676325909612010-08-09T03:34:00.000-07:002010-08-09T03:34:17.813-07:00Ancient buffalo jump discovered on Blackfeet ReservationBROWNING — A vast former hunting complex where bison were stampeded over a cliff at least 1,000 years ago has been uncovered on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in northwestern Montana, archaeologists say.<br />
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Researchers said the 9-mile-long area contains a well-preserved “drive-line” system used to funnel bison to their deaths, along with bison bones and the remnants of campsites with hundreds of tepee rings.<br />
Maria Nieves Zedeno, an archaeologist from the University of Arizona’s School of Anthropology and Bureau of Applied Research, said it is one of the best-preserved drive-line systems she has seen.<br />
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“We really need to preserve this site for future generations,” Zedeno said.<br />
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The site is on a remote plateau overlooking the Two Medicine River, on land owned by the Blackfeet Tribe. Researchers said it could become one of the most significant and largest Blackfeet heritage sites in the region.<br />
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Plains Indians harvested bison hundreds of years ago by stampeding them over cliffs, and other jump sites, as they’re called, exist in the region.<br />
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John Murray, the tribe’s historic preservation officer, said the new site will help tribal members understand their history. He said officials hope to one day build an interpretive center at the site.<br />
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“The project is important to connect the culture and heritage,” Murray said.<br />
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Researchers said that besides the bison kill site, they have been uncovering artifacts with social and religious significance, including a camp site with 651 tepee rings.<br />
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Murray said some Blackfeet members have known about the site for some time, and that increasing oil and gas exploration on the reservation has prompted a push toward preserving cultural sites.<br />
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Zedeno said similar kill sites on the reservation have been destroyed by bone collectors, and other kill sites are either damaged or on private land.<br />
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At the most recent site, much of the excavation work has been going on at the base of the 30-foot cliff the bison were driven over. Another dig is taking place about 20 feet away that’s thought to be a processing area.<br />
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Bison scapulas have been found lined up in an intentional manner, but archaeologists are unsure of the significance.<br />
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(From: http://helenair.com/news/article_1dfedeee-a382-11df-8b68-001cc4c002e0.html)Lance M. Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404310713482611952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718032515311502847.post-68870346476366461822010-03-21T12:32:00.000-07:002010-03-21T12:38:29.542-07:00Barton Gulch PaleoIndians<object width="480" height="308"><param name="movie" value="http://www.thisisbozeman.com/ev/people-of-the-hearth/"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.thisisbozeman.com/ev/people-of-the-hearth/" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="308"></embed></object><br /><br />"People of the Hearth" is an excellent video I show in my archaeology class about the Late Paleoindians that lived about 9400 years ago in Barton Gulch, in the mountains down by where Dillon, Montana, is now located. This is the Wikipedia article on it: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barton_Gulch">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barton_Gulch</a><br /><br />Definitely worth watching. I am not aware of any other videos out there specifically on an archaeological site in Montana, so if you know of another, please let me know in the comments!Lance M. Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404310713482611952noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718032515311502847.post-6364360286598498782010-01-28T11:25:00.000-08:002010-05-04T11:12:55.591-07:002010 Introduction to Archaeology SyllabusINTRODUCTION TO ARCHAEOLOGY<br />
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CRN 39222 / ANTH 103A /3 credits<br />
Spring 2010/ T & Th, 3:30-4:45 pm / DON 206<br />
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Instructor: Lance M. Foster, M.A., M.L.A.<br />
E-mail: lancemfoster@yahoo.com<br />
Academic Web Site: N/A<br />
Office Hours/Location: By Appointment (Home phone: 422-5911)<br />
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Course Description<br />
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Archaeology is the study of the human past through the remains of their material culture. Archaeology uses many different approaches and tools to study and explain how people lived in the distant and not-so-distant past. Artifacts, sites, settlements, and landscapes may be studied to help reveal how people lived, how they saw themselves and their world, what the environment was like, and how these factors interrelated and changed through time. In this class you will gain an overview of what archaeology is, how archaeology is done, and what it can tell us about our world, past, present and perhaps even a glimpse of our future. This course is intended to be an introductory survey of archaeology for undergraduate students, either as an elective or as a foundation for further studies in archaeology. There are no prerequisites for this course. <br />
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Course Outcomes<br />
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Students who participate fully in this class will:<br />
• Students will be able to describe the scientific approach to archaeological investigation and ethics, and how this differs from popular misunderstandings about the discipline<br />
• Students will be able to trace the historic origins and key thinkers of archaeology<br />
• Students will able to discuss a basic understanding of archaeological cultures in Montana and the practice of archaeology in the state<br />
• Students will be able to define and discuss the key terms and concepts used in archaeology, from artifacts and features, through excavation and analysis<br />
• Students will be able to identify and discuss a basic outline of major archaeological cultures at the national and international levels<br />
• Students will be understand and compare diverse interests in the past<br />
• Students will be able to describe the concepts of archaeological ethics and stewardship<br />
• Students will learn to apply the lessons of archaeology as applied to contemporary developments in society today<br />
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Required Texts<br />
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Ashmore, Wendy, and Robert J. Sharer<br />
2000 Discovering Our Past: A Brief Introduction to Archaeology. 3rd edition. McGraw-Hill.<br />
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Diamond, Jared<br />
2005 Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. New York: Penguin Books.<br />
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Feder, Kenneth L.<br />
2005 Frauds, Myths, and Mysteries: Science and Pseudoscience in Archaeology. 5th Edition. McGraw-Hill.<br />
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Course Grading and Expectations<br />
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A. ATTENDANCE: Attendance will be taken for every scheduled class; students are responsible for making sure they sign the sign-in sheet themselves which is passed out at the start of every class. The student should also attend the entire class and not duck out early. This is because if students are having trouble in class it is often because they miss too many classes. In addition, if the student is failing, we are required to tell the administration the last day the student attended class, which may also affect some funding sources. Every full class the student attends is worth 5 points.<br />
The only exceptions will be for documented medical situations. Please get the notes from other students if you have to miss a class. The professor will not provide copies of his lecture notes to students. Makeup exams will only be given for documented medical situations. <br />
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B. PARTICIPATION: Classes include lectures, discussions, and videos. Assigned readings must be done IN ADVANCE so you can DISCUSS the material in class. Lectures include material beyond that in your texts for which you will be responsible on exams, so note-taking and attendance are required. You are encouraged to bring in articles from the current news media to discuss. Class participation is expected and will count positively towards your final grade.<br />
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C. EXAMS: There will be two exams, a midterm and a final. Both are made up of fill-in-the-blank, multiple choice and matching, with short essay-type questions. Each will cover assigned readings for that time period as well as lectures and other class materials. The final will be cumulative to a small degree in that you will need to know the basic concepts of archaeology to interpret the record of prehistory and early history. There will be NO makeup exams except in fully documented serious circumstances. A makeup exam must be taken within one week of the missed exam, and will consist of all essay questions.<br />
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D. There is a Special Project worth 50 points which will be discussed in a later class. <br />
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Also, be sure and read the “Academic Integrity” statement from UM-Helena below; students will be held strictly accountable to this statement.<br />
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E. FINAL GRADE CALCULATION:<br />
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Attendance 30 classes = 5 points each = 150 points<br />
Midterm (closed book) 50 points<br />
Final (closed book) 50 points<br />
Special Project/Presentation 50 points<br />
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300 points possible, divided by 3 = final score<br />
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100-90 points = A<br />
80-89 points = B<br />
70-79 points = C<br />
60-69 points = D<br />
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Late policy/penalties: Assignments are due in HARDCOPY at the beginning of class on the day they are assigned; papers will be dropped one full grade for each day they are late.<br />
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Students with physical, cognitive, or psychological disabilities are encouraged to meet with the Director of Disability Services, Cindy Yarberry, in the ACCESS Center, to discuss possible accommodations. She can be reached at 444-6897 or at yarberryc@umhelena.edu. All information will be kept confidential. If a student requires testing accommodations, it is the student's responsibility to ask me to send a copy of the test to the ACCESS Center at least 24 hours in advance of the test<br />
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Academic Rigor<br />
Based on the UM-H Academic Rigor Value Statement, here what you should expect from me: <br />
1) that I communicate the course expectations to you and have them summarized on this syllabus; <br />
2) that I come to class prepared, and that I give you useful feedback on your assignments in a timely manner;<br />
3) that I am available to you outside of the classroom; <br />
4) that you can collaborate with your classmates on writing assignments as long as the products of those assignments are truly your work; <br />
5) that the assignments are relevant, meaningful and challenging; <br />
6) that I approach guiding your learning in ways geared to your diverse talents and abilities; <br />
7) that I reduce, if not eliminate, your perceived need to plagiarize, and that I challenge plagiarism should it occur.<br />
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Based on the UM-H Academic Rigor Value Statement, here is what I expect from you: <br />
1) that you will set high expectations for yourself along with a strong sense of collegiate purpose; that you come to class prepared, and complete and submit assignments by the deadlines; <br />
2) that you make the most of your time with me in and out of class; <br />
3) that you treat fellow students and the classroom with respect, and participate in our process; <br />
4) that you manage your time so that you can treat college and this course as real work with real value; <br />
5) that you participate with complete honesty and integrity; and finally <br />
6) that you accept responsibility for learning and the grades you earn. <br />
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Academic Integrity<br />
The University of Montana-Helena adheres to high standards of academic integrity. A single instance of the following violations will result in an F grade for that assignment; a subsequent violation will result in an FX grade for the course (see Catalog), and in both cases I will report the violation to the academic dean:<br />
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• Plagiarism: submitting the words, work or ideas of others without properly crediting them; this includes tracing/copying the artistic work of others, including sources from the Internet<br />
• Using work generated in another class, by you or someone else, for credit in this class without permission from the instructor.<br />
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Misc.<br />
This syllabus is subject to change. Please turn off cell phones during class.<br />
Students with unique learning needs are encouraged to see me to discuss course requirements and approved accommodations. Students who seek information about disability services should contact Disability Services Director Judy Hay, located in the Access Center, at 444-6897, or at hayj@hct.umt.edu. <br />
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Class Schedule<br />
*IMPORTANT: Guest speakers are invited and 1-2 field trips are planned; due to weather considerations, etc., when they occur, the schedule will be adjusted accordingly. <br />
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WEEK ONE<br />
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Jan. 19 T First day of class; class introductions, class syllabus, standards and expectations; the required texts and other materials.<br />
Reading assignments for next class: Ashmore and Sharer, Chapter 1: “Introduction,” pp. 1-24; Feder, Chapter 1: “Science and Pseudoscience,” pp. 1-16<br />
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Jan. 21 Th What Archaeology is—and what it is not. Archaeology defined; ethics and misuses of archaeology; archaeology as science, as history and as anthropology; archaeology as a profession.<br />
Reading assignment for next class: Ashmore and Sharer, Chapter 2: “Archaeology’s Past”, pp. 25-38; Ashmore and Sharer, Chapter 3: “Contemporary Approaches to Archaeology,” pp. 39-60.<br />
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WEEK TWO<br />
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Jan. 26 T The History of Archaeology: Origins, development, and the contemporary scene. The (sub)culture of archaeologists and archaeology.<br />
Reading assignment for next class: Feder, Chapter 2: “Epistemology: How You Know What You Know,” pp. 17-43 and Chapter 3, “Anatomy of an Archaeological Hoax”, pp. 44-63,<br />
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Jan. 28 Th Epistemology (how you know what you know), critical thinking, and scientific archaeology. The Cardiff Giant: frauds and hoaxes in archaeology.<br />
Reading assignment for next class: Ashmore and Sharer, Chapter 4: “How Archaeology Works,” pp. 61-86.<br />
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WEEK THREE<br />
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Feb. 2 T Archaeological data, deposition and site transformation processes, research design; archaeological research projects.<br />
Reading assignment for next class: Ashmore and Sharer, Chapter 5: “Fieldwork,” pp. 87-124 and Feder, Chapter 10, “Good Vibrations: Psychics and Dowsers,” pp. 261-277.<br />
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Feb. 4 Th Archaeology in the field: Survey, excavation, data processing, classification.<br />
Reading assignment for next class: Ashmore and Sharer, Chapter 6: “Analyzing the Past,” pp. 125-156.<br />
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WEEK FOUR<br />
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Feb. 9 T Archaeology in the laboratory: Analysis of artifacts, ecofacts, and features.<br />
Reading assignment for next class: Ashmore and Sharer, Chapter 7: “Dating the Past,” Pp. 157-178.<br />
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Feb. 11 Th<br />
Archaeology in the laboratory: Chronology, seriation, sequence comparison, stratigraphy, geochronology, obsidian hydration, floral and faunal analysis, radiometry, archaeomagnetism, limited/experimental methods.<br />
Reading assignment for next class: Ashmore and Sharer, Chapter 8: “Reconstructing the Past,” Pp. 179-211.<br />
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WEEK FIVE <br />
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Feb. 16 T Archaeological Interpretation: Analogy and the abuse of analogy, Identifying activities in space and time <br />
Reading assignment for next class: Ashmore and Sharer, Chapter 9: “Understanding the Past,” Pp. 212-237 and Chapter 11, “Old Time Religion – New Age Visions,” pp. 278-310.<br />
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Feb. 18 Th Archaeological Paradigms: Culture History Approach, Processualism, Post-Processual and Emergent Interpretations, Multiple Approaches, Alternative Archaeologies<br />
Reading assignment for next class: Ashmore and Sharer, Chapter 10: “Archaeology Today,” pp. 238-254 and Feder, Chapter 12, “Real Mysteries of a Veritable Past,” pp. 311-333.<br />
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WEEK SIX<br />
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Feb. 23 T Contemporary Issues in Archaeology: Ethics, looting and antiquities collecting; destruction in the name of progress; Cultural Resource Management (CRM); nationalism. colonialism and war; working with descendant communities; the responsibilities of archaeology.<br />
Reading assignment for next class: None, as there will be an exam that class<br />
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Feb. 25 Th Contemporary Issues in Archaeology (continued); Midterm Exam Review<br />
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WEEK SEVEN<br />
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Mar. 2 T MIDTERM EXAM<br />
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Mar. 4 Th Discussion of Exam. Reading assignments for next class: Feder, Chapter 7, “Lost: One Continent – Reward,” pp. 177-206.<br />
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WEEK EIGHT<br />
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Mar. 9 T Outline of Old World Archaeology: Hominids: The Peopling of the World (Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas); DNA and archaeological evidence.<br />
Reading assignment for next class: Feder, Chapter 4, “Dawson’s Dawn Man: The Hoax at Piltdown,” pp. 64-90 and Chapter 9, “Mysterious Egypt,” pp. 234-260.<br />
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Mar. 11 Th Outline of Old World Archaeology: Agriculture and the Great Civilizations; Internationally-significant archaeological sites/landscapes of the Old World.<br />
Reading assignment for next class: Chapter 8, “Prehistoric E.T.: The Fantasy of Ancient Astronauts,” pp. 207-233.<br />
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WEEK NINE<br />
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Mar. 16 T New World Archaeology: The Peopling of the Americas; Controversies and Native American views.<br />
Reading assignment for next class: Feder, Chapter 5, “Who Discovered America?,” pp. 91-145 and Chapter 6, “The Myth of the Moundbuilders,” pp. 147-176.<br />
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Mar. 18 Th New World Archaeology: Agricultural Societies and New World Civilizations; Internationally-significant archaeological sites/landscapes of the New World.<br />
Reading assignment for next class (after Spring Break): Begin reading Jared Diamond’s “Collapse”, Prologue pp. 1-23, and further, to get a head start).<br />
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WEEK TEN<br />
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Mar. 22-26 SPRING BREAK – No Classes; College Open<br />
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WEEK ELEVEN<br />
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Mar. 30 T Montana Archaeology Overview: Prehistoric Archaeology in Montana; the Historic Indian tribes of Montana; Historic Archaeology in Montana: Mining, ranching, timber, industrial.<br />
Reading assignment for next class: Diamond, “Part One: Modern Montana; Chapter 1: Under Montana’s Big Sky,” pp. 25-75.<br />
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Apr. 1 Th Lessons from Archaeology: Montana in Jared Diamond’s “Collapse.”<br />
Reading assignment for next class: Diamond, “Part Two: Past Societies”: “Chapter 2: Twilight at Easter” (pp. 79-119) and “Chapter 3: The Last People Alive: Pitcairn and Henderson Islands” (pp. 120-135).<br />
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WEEK TWELVE<br />
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Apr. 6 T Lessons from Archaeology: “Collapse”: Easter Island and the Polynesians<br />
Reading assignment for next class: Diamond, “Part Two: Past Societies”: “Chapter 4: The Ancient Ones: The Anasazi and Their Neighbors” (pp. 136-156) and “Chapter 5: The Maya Collapses” (pp. 157-177).<br />
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Apr. 8 Th Lessons from Archaeology: “Collapse”: The Anasazi and the Maya<br />
Reading assignment for next class: Diamond, “Part Two: Past Societies”: “Chapter 6: The Viking Prelude and Fugues” (pp. 178-210) and “Chapter 7: Norse Greenland’s Flowering” (pp. 211-247).<br />
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WEEK THIRTEEN<br />
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Apr. 13 T Lessons from Archaeology: “Collapse”: The Vikings, Part I<br />
Reading assignment for next class: Diamond, “Part Two: Past Societies”: “Chapter 8: Norse Greenland’s End” (pp. 248-276) and “Chapter 9: Opposite Paths to Success” (pp. 277-308.<br />
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Apr. 15 Th Lessons from Archaeology: “Collapse”: The Vikings, Part II<br />
Reading assignment for next class: Diamond, “Part Three: Modern Societies”: “Chapter 10: Malthus in Africa: Rwanda’s Genocide” (pp. 311-328) and “Chapter 11: One Island, Two Peoples, Two Histories: The Dominican Republic and Haiti” (pp. 329-357).<br />
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WEEK FOURTEEN<br />
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Apr. 20 T Lessons from Archaeology: “Collapse”: Modern Societies: Africa and the Caribbean<br />
Reading assignment for next class: Diamond, “Part Three: Modern Societies”: “Chapter 12: China, Lurching Giant” (pp. 358-377) and “Chapter 13: ‘Mining’ Australia” (pp. 378-416.<br />
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Apr. 22 Th Lessons from Archaeology: “Collapse”: Modern Societies: Asia and the Pacific<br />
Reading assignment for next class: Diamond, “Practical Lessons”: “Chapter 14: Why Do Some Societies Make Disastrous Decisions?” (pp. 419-440) and “Chapter 15: Big Businesses and the Environment: Different Conditions, Different Outcomes” (pp. 441-485).<br />
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WEEK FIFTEEN<br />
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Apr. 27 T Lessons from Archaeology: “Collapse”: Practical Lessons: Societies, Businesses and the Environment<br />
Reading assignment for next class: Diamond, “Practical Lessons”: “Chapter 16: The World as a Polder: What Does It All Mean to Us Today?” (pp. 486-525).<br />
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Apr. 29 Th Lessons from Archaeology: “Collapse”: Practical Lessons: “What Does It All Mean to Us Today?”<br />
LAST DAY FOR SPECIAL PROJECTS PRESENTATIONS<br />
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WEEK SIXTEEN (LAST WEEK OF CLASS)<br />
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The Final Exams are scheduled as a whole by the college. To avoid conflicts and allow for extra length of some finals; as soon as I know the schedule for our final exam, I will inform the students. The other class will be a field trip.<br />
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May 4 T -Flex-<br />
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May 6 Th -Flex-Lance M. Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404310713482611952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718032515311502847.post-6741287424825652262009-09-20T05:21:00.000-07:002009-09-20T06:33:30.901-07:00Outreach Seeking Collectors with Paleoindian Points from MontanaIt's been several months since I worked on Montana Archaeology blog, but I am making a fresh start with <a href="http://www.helenair.com/news/local/article_1da55a24-a598-11de-bcc5-001cc4c002e0.html">a clipping on PaleoIndians in Montana</a> from today's Helena Independent Record (20 Sept 2009). Because of the lack of knowledge on Paleoindian culture in Montana, there is a new initiative led by Montana's SHPO to better feed Montana data into the national <a href="http://pidba.utk.edu/main.htm">Paleoindian Database of the Americas (PIDBA)</a>, at the University of Tennessee's Department of Anthropology:<br /><br /><blockquote><br />...By United States standards, Montana was one of the last states settled by Europeans. But as in much of the rest of the country, there were people here thousands of years before Columbus "discovered" America. We don't know much about them - and now the state would like to know more. The Montana Historical Society is working with Ruthann Knudson, a semi-retired archaeologist in Great Falls, in trying to locate more Paleoindian artifacts from around the state. These artifacts, primarily the sharpened tips of handheld tools, have been found sparingly around the state, but experts believe there are many more, just waiting to be dug up or to surface in an eroded stream bank. "There has been minimal systematic survey done in Montana," Knudson said. "Until we can collect Montana Paleoindian information, most of which is in the heads and collections of avocational or amateur archaeologists, we won't know what is out on the landscape and in collections."<br /><br />State archaeologist Stan Wilmoth said around 100 Paleoindian artifacts and/or sites have been found around Montana - a small fraction of the 30,000 or so sites identified across the country. He hopes people with private collections will volunteer information about what they've found and where they found it, so Montana's finds can be added to a national Paleoindian Database of the Americas.<br /><br />Nobody is quite sure who the first humans were in Montana, or how they got here. For centuries some have believed in the Bering Strait theory of people crossing a "land bridge" from Asia to Alaksa during the ice age, but proof has been elusive. What is known is that there were people in Montana as far back as 11,500 years ago - and we know that because there are human remains that have been carbon-dated to that time. "People have lived here for at least 13,000 years, and most people don't have a concept of that length of time," Knudson said. "It's important for all of us, no matter our genetic heritage, to understand how people have used this landscape."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-SILlLeJhY0/SrYu_cKWHWI/AAAAAAAAAk8/SnyF75O89rQ/s1600-h/clovis.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 329px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-SILlLeJhY0/SrYu_cKWHWI/AAAAAAAAAk8/SnyF75O89rQ/s400/clovis.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383542071994228066" /></a><br /><br />Wilmoth said Paleo flint points are distinguished by their size - larger than those that came earlier - as well as fluted grooves at the point where the point was connected to its wooden handle. "They're very large, and they have exquisite marksmanship," Wilmoth said. "They used the best craftsmanship, the best materials. Most of them were used for hand-held spear points or knives."<br /><br />Finding a Paleo artifact in Montana is rare - many of those found have been buried under several feet or more of dirt - but people in the Helena area have as much chance as anyone. Many of the sites found have been clustered around the Missouri River and its tributaries, and one of the state's best-known sites is in Montana City. Most are found by accident. Within the past five years, Wilmoth said, some points were discovered in the North Hills of the Helena Valley, when excavation work for a subdivision was being done. "Nobody was looking for it, nobody really knew what they had," he said. "They felt proud, but they were also worried that they would get in trouble for it. We want to be clear that we aren't interested in any of those legal issues."<br /><br />While unearthing an entire campsite or burial ground would constitute an outstanding find, Wilmoth said even a single artifact from the Paleo era is worth bringing to the attention of the state. "An isolated point is never going to have the same information potential as a point in the ground at a site where we can build up the whole story," Wilmoth said. "But an isolated point can tell us about the geographic extent of particular cultural trends, some of the materials can be sourced to a location. If they're in a cached site, that tells us about social organization and the spirituality of the people involved. ...We imagine these were very small groups, 25 or 50 would be a good guess for that period," he said. "And they were probably pretty mobile."<br /><br />Figuring out what people were up to 10,000 years ago is hardly an exact science, and comparing archaeology to detective work isn't inaccurate. There are still questions about Paleo sites that have been known about for decades.<br /><br />"One of the things we're still working on is, 'Where did the stone come from?'" Knudson said. "And the question is, 'Did people travel for this stone, or trade for this stone?' There's never a clear answer. It's always a game." And it's a game she loves. People with information about Paleo artifacts in Montana, or questions about artifacts they've found or acquired, can contact Knudson at (406) 216-2676 or paleoknute@3rivers.net.<br /></blockquote><br /><br />PaleoIndian Period (14,000 - 8000 years ago) projectile points and tool kits in Montana include artifacts from the early Paleoindian cultures known as Clovis, Folsom, and Goshen complex (similar to the Plainview points in Texas), as well as the late Paleoindian (sometimes known as Plano period in some areas of the Plains, but grouped in Montana with Paleoindian) which includes stemmed and unstemmed points: Plateau Stemmed, Agate Basin, Hellgap, Alberta, Alder complex (including the Ruby Valley point), Cody (includes Cody, Eden, Scottsbluff, and some include Alberta here), and the Hardinger complex (including the Metzal point). <br /><br />In this photo of a general education collection of Paleoindian points from today's article, not all the point types found in Montana are represented, and not all the point types in this collection are found in Montana. Part of the situation is that most archaeologists either become specialists in Plains archaeology or in Plateau archaeology, and Montana contains both.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-SILlLeJhY0/SrYuv2bHCoI/AAAAAAAAAk0/DEffB_oyAdQ/s1600-h/points.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 269px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-SILlLeJhY0/SrYuv2bHCoI/AAAAAAAAAk0/DEffB_oyAdQ/s400/points.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383541804165958274" /></a><br /><br />The collection does show examples of some point/tool types found in Montana: Clovis, Folsom, Goshen (compare to Plainview), Agate Basin, Alberta, Hell Gap, Cody, Eden.<br /><br />To my best knowledge, Scottsbluff, Angostura, Plainview (in the strict sense), Fredricks [sic: Frederick], or Midland types have not been found in Montana. <br /><br />The collection does not show examples of these Paleoindian points found in Montana: Plateau Stemmed (because the collection focuses on Plains types) or the types found at Barton Gulch, Alder/Ruby Valley or Hardinger/Metzal.<br /><br />The <a href="http://pidba.utk.edu/montana.htm ">Paleoindian Database of the Americas' page for Montana</a> includes maps and a bibliography of published resources on Montana's Paleoindian sites. There are also downloadable data in Excel format, including the Mangus site, the Mill Iron site, and the Anzick Cache Site so far (as of Sept. 20, 2009). This paucity of information is the major reason why Wilmoth and Knudsen are involved in this outreach initiative-- to see what private collectors with Montana materials might have lying around in an old box in the barn that Grandpa picked up on the ranch generations ago.Lance M. Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404310713482611952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718032515311502847.post-7571955711020955002009-02-26T17:22:00.000-08:002009-02-26T17:27:45.176-08:00New Clovis Find in Colorado BackyardIt's not in Montana, but it is proof that just because a place has gone through intense urban development doesn't mean there aren't any archaeological sites there....<br /><br /><BLOCKQUOTE><I><B>13,000-year-old tools unearthed at Colorado home</B><br /><br />By ALYSIA PATTERSON, Associated Press Writer<br />Thu Feb 26, 3:34 pm ET<br /><br />DENVER – Landscapers were digging a hole for a fish pond in the front yard of a Boulder home last May when they heard a "chink" that didn't sound right. Just some lost tools. Some 13,000-year-old lost tools. They had stumbled onto a cache of more than 83 ancient tools buried by the Clovis people — ice age hunter-gatherers who remain a puzzle to anthropologists.<br /><br />The home's owner, Patrick Mahaffy, thought they were only a century or two old before contacting researchers at the University of Colorado-Boulder.<br /><br />"My jaw just dropped," said CU anthropologist Douglas Bamforth, who is leading a study of the find. "Boulder is a densely populated area. And in the midst of all that to find this cache."<br /><br />The cache is one of only a handful of Clovis-age artifacts uncovered in North America, said Bamforth.<br /><br />The tools reveal an unexpected level of sophistication, Bamforth said, describing the design as "unnecessarily complicated," artistic and utilitarian at the same time.<br /><br />What researchers found on the tools also was significant. Biochemical analysis of blood and other protein residue revealed the tools were used to butcher camels, horses, sheep and bears. That proves that the Clovis people ate more than just woolly mammoth meat for dinner, something scientists were unable to confirm before.<br /><br />"A window opens up into this incredibly remote way of life that we normally can't see much of," Bamforth said.<br />The cache was buried 18 inches deep and was packed into a hole the size of a large shoe box. The tools were most likely wrapped in a skin that deteriorated over time, Mahaffy said.<br /><br />"The kind of stone that's present — the kind that flakes to a good sharp edge — isn't widely available in this part of Colorado. It looks like they were storing material because they knew they would need it later," said Bamforth.<br /><br />Bamforth believes the tools had been untouched since the owners placed them there for storage.<br /><br />Mahaffy's Clovis cache is one of only two that have been analyzed for protein residue from ice age animals, Bamforth said. Mahaffy paid for the analysis by California State University in Bakersfield.<br /><br />A biotech entrepreneur, Mahaffy is familiar with the process. He is the former president and chief executive officer of Boulder-based Pharmion Corp., acquired by Celgene Corp. for nearly $3 billion in 2007.<br /><br />Mahaffy wants to donate most of the tools to a museum but plans to rebury a few of them in his yard.<br /><br />"These tools have been associated with these people and this land for 13,000 years," he said. "I would like some of these tools to stay where they belong."</BLOCKQUOTE></I>Lance M. Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404310713482611952noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718032515311502847.post-7075935907961609952009-02-08T06:38:00.000-08:002009-02-08T09:05:28.077-08:00Re-opening the Historic Drumlummon Mine<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-SILlLeJhY0/SY8M2NsdIfI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/MrDuEJ_ceps/s1600-h/55lo_090208_drumside1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-SILlLeJhY0/SY8M2NsdIfI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/MrDuEJ_ceps/s400/55lo_090208_drumside1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300469411966951922" /></a><br /><br />According to today's <I>Helena Independent Record</I>,<a href="http://www.helenair.com/articles/2009/02/08/top/top/50lo_090208_drum.txt">the historic Drumlummon Mine at Marysville will probably be re-opening</a>. Hopefully they will record the historic features in the mine before they remove it. There are some interesting things that survive deep in the mine:<br /><br /><BLOCKQUOTE><I>Slowly, the darkness gives way to a fairly well-lit cavern, which is about 30-by-60 feet wide, with a 50-foot ceiling full of “stopes” or holes where miners blasted upward so the ore would fall down and they could cart it out to the mine portal in rail cars. Some stopes are as wide as 40 feet. ...It’s also in this room, known as the No. 1 Shaft Station, where the group pauses to marvel at the historic miners’ creativity. Someone used red bricks to create a retaining wall, which is perfectly curved to follow the natural rock lines. It’s a testament to a bricklayer’s skill, as well as to the money that was thrown around a century ago when the Drumlummon was producing millions of dollars in gold and silver. “That’s incredible. I’ve been in a bunch of mines, and I’ve never seen anything like it,” says Catherine Dreesbach, a DEQ mining engineer. Smitty proudly notes that the only other underground mine with a brick wall like this that he knows of is in South Dakota.<br /><br />...About 2,500 feet in, the tunnel ends near a cave-in and cache of explosives. Bardswich says they’re thinking about hooking around and tunneling backward to connect with a new portal they hope to build. It’s at this tunnel’s end that the old miners signed sooty signatures on the walls, probably using carbon flames from their headlamps. Fatso Haley was here in 1925. So was Jack Smigaj and Jim Obernford. B. O’Conell drew a face in 1912. Smitty — not the one who’s here today — left his mark on March 11, 1917. Apparently he wasn’t the most popular guy, because someone else wrote that “Smitty eats ...” — let’s just call it manure. “You don’t see this stuff every day even if you work in a mine,” Dreesbach says, once again surprised by the Drumlummon. ("Drumlummon Dreaming", Helena Independent Record, Feb. 8, 2009)</I></BLOCKQUOTE><br /><br />And of course the historic adit, tunnels, stopes, etc. are all features of this underground cultural landscape that should be mapped and recorded before they are altered, as part of the historic record.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.helenair.com/articles/2009/02/08/top/55lo_090208_drumside1.txt">The people who now live in Marysville are not too thrilled</a> with the prospects of a foreign country (Canada) coming in and messing with their quiet lifestyle; mining is a noisy and messy business. History shows that companies begin with a lot of progressive and amiable talk when the process starts, but the end results are always a damaged landscape and water pollution. The trouble is, in a terrible economy, gold is one of the few things that not only doesn't lose value, it actually gains value. Water and food are two others.<br /><br />Historic mining landscapes are a significant part of Montana archaeology. Back in the days I worked in CRM (Cultural Resources Management) as an archaeologist, it seems like most of the sites I recorded in the Helena National Forest (1990-1995) were associated with historic mining, including the <B>Ophir Creek Historic Mining District</B> where <B>Blackfoot City</B> is located. Historic mining is one of the concerns of industrial archaeology; in Montana, the <a href="http://www.siahq.org/chapters/chapterlist.html">Klepetko Chapter of the Society for Industrial Archeology</a> is the place to go to learn more about industrial archaeology, including historic mining.Lance M. Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404310713482611952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718032515311502847.post-58529660039685468232009-02-07T20:38:00.000-08:002009-02-08T09:44:12.785-08:00Archaeology in Montana, 1805-1930<H3>From Lewis and Clark in 1805 until the WPA in the 1930s</H3><br /><br />[This section will be continually expanded as more information is gathered.]<br /><br /><B>Lewis and Clark and Archaeology</B><br /><br />During their exploration up the Missouri River in 1805-1806, Lewis and Clark traveled through Montana and recorded many sites. Most of them were occupation sites, ceremonial structures, and buffalo kill sites. Some were abandoned villages that were still standing, including conical lodges covered with bark. They have over 100 such references in their journals. When they reached Great Falls, the wood used in these structures changed from cottonwood to willow. Willow was considered to be a Shoshonean trait. Ceremonial structures. Near Cascade Lewis and Clark found over 80 lodges, but mainly large heavy cottonwood log structures, 60 ft in diameter. In 1806 they encountered another large ceremonial structure on an island near Clark's Fork – Yellowstone. Details- buffalo skins, feathers, buffalo skulls. Prob. Pre-Sun Dance lodge.<br />Fortifications made of log and stone in Plains area, used by all tribes<br /><br />Buffalo jump at Arrow Creek, 100 dead animals stinking, unused, many scavengers. (http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/lewisandclark/site16.htm)<br />This was located in Choteau County, "about 1-1/4 miles downstream from the mouth of Arrow Creek on the opposite, or north, bank of the Missouri River and approximately 9 miles by river upstream, or west, from the mouth of the Judith River."<br /><br /><BLOCKQUOTE><I>At this site, in the beautiful White Cliffs section of the Missouri Breaks, discussed elsewhere in this volume, the members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition were probably the first U.S. citizens to see and record a buffalo jump site where the dead animals were still in place.<br /><br />Before the advent of the steel-tipped arrow and lance and the rifle-musket, it was difficult for Indians to kill buffalo. A particularly fruitful method in the high Plains country was mass killing by the use of "jumps." These were located where buttes, eroded cliffs, and river gorges provided sufficient drop to kill or maim the beasts. The Indians enticed a herd within a short distance of the jump, and then started a stampede that carried the animals to the brink. There, the pressure of those behind forced those in front over the edge.<br /><br />On May 29, 1805, on the westbound journey, the Lewis and Clark Expedition came upon such a jump. It was on the north side of the Missouri along the base of a 120-foot-high cliff that came almost to the water's edge. The men observed and smelled the carcasses of more than 100 dead and rotting buffalo, which wolves were devouring. Likely, some Blackfeet Indians, whose 2-week-old campsite had been discovered near the mouth of the Judith earlier that day, had conducted the jump. The explorers later appropriately named modern Arrow Creek, a little more than a mile to the west and flowing in from the south, as "Slaughter Creek."<br /><br />The site was identified in 1963 as 24CH240 by a team from the Missouri Basin Inter-Agency Archeological Salvage Program, which surveyed sites in this part of the river. Even at the time Lewis and Clark passed by, the waters were eroding away the dead buffalo at the stream's edge. In the intervening 170 years or so, floods and erosional action have removed nearly all archeological evidence of the jump. The salvage team found only two pieces of bone fragments, some others of which the private owner had also observed.</I></BLOCKQUOTE><br /><br />On the return trip in 1806, Clarks saw petroglyphs on Pompey’s Pillar. Petroglyphs are designs incised into the rock; if the stone was sandstone, lines could be scratched into them, while other types of stone were harder and required designs to be pecked into the rock surface. In contrast, pictographs were drawings made with pigment, such as iron oxide.<br /><br />Montana Archaeological Sites associated with the Lewis and Clark Expedition (sites mentioned in the journals)<br /><br />Beaverhead Rock State Park (near Dillon) (also see Rattlesnake Cliffs, below)<br />http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/lewisandclark/site14.htm<br /><br />Bozeman Pass<br />(http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/lewisandclark/site15.htm)<br /><br />Buffalo Jump at Arrow Creek<br />(http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/lewisandclark/site16.htm)<br /><br />Camp Disappointment<br />(http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/lewisandclark/site17.htm)<br /><br />Junction of the Marias and Missouri Rivers<br />(http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/lewisandclark/site18.htm)<br /><br />Gates of the Mountains<br />(http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/lewisandclark/site19.htm)<br /><br />Great Falls Portage<br />(http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/lewisandclark/site20.htm)<br /><br />Lemhi Pass, Idaho-Montana border<br />(http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/lewisandclark/site3.htm)<br /><br />Lewis and Clark Pass<br />(http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/lewisandclark/site20.htm)<br /><br />Lewis' Fight with the Blackfeet Site<br />(http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/lewisandclark/site22.htm)<br /><br />Lolo Trail<br />(http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/lewisandclark/site4.htm)<br /><br />Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument<br />(http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/lewisandclark/site23.htm)<br /><br />Pompey's Pillar (Pompy's Tower) National Monument<br />(http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/lewisandclark/site24.htm)<br /><br />"Rattlesnake Cliffs" = locals call this "Beaverhead Rock", and the Beaverhead Rock near Dillon as "Point of Rocks"<br />(http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/lewisandclark/site25.htm)<br /><br />Ross' Hole (near Sula)<br />(http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/lewisandclark/site26.htm)<br /><br />Three Forks of the Missouri (Missouri Headwaters State Park)<br />http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/lewisandclark/site27.htm<br /><br />Travelers' Rest (near Lolo)<br />http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/lewisandclark/site28.htm<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><B>OTHER EARLY EXPLORERS</B><br /><br />Petroglyphs preceded in observation by Francois LaRoque in 1805 similar along Yellowstone<br />Artifacts use- Shoshone steatite vessels<br />LaRoque- Canadian Fur- also steatite vessles. Near mouth of Bighorn more pictures.<br /><br />1801-1802 w/ Kootenai. LaBlanc, LaGasse killed.<br /><br />1808-1812 Thompson trading at Salish House – nothing to say about arch remains [but mention of Blackfeet moving south after acquiring guns, invading Shoshoni lands)<br />----<br />W. A. FERRIS, Fur trapper<br /><br />LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS: A Diary of Wanderings on the sources of the Rivers Missouri, Columbia, and Colorado from February, 1830, to November, 1835. By W. A. FERRIS, then in the employ of the American Fur Company.<br />(http://www.xmission.com/~drudy/mtman/html/ferris.html/ferris.html)<br /><br />In 1830-1835 W.A. Ferris (trapper) 15 mi below Beaverhead, green pipestone. Point of Rocks on Beaverhead River. Flint Creek.<br /><br />Aug. 24:<br />"On the 24th we passed between two high rocky points jutting into the [Salmon] river, and came out into an open plain two miles wide. Near the entrance, is a bed of stone, which is frequently used as a substitute for soap. It is but little harder than chalk, of the same color, and when manufactured into pipes, and burnt, becomes a fine glossy jet color, and equally hard as stoneware."<br /><br />Chapter XXXI, Sept. 20: "Fifteen miles below Beaver Head, is a quarry of green stone, that is semi‑transparent, and easily cut with a knife. It is highly prized by the Indians, for manufacturing into pipes. It is situated in a bluff, on the west side of the river; over‑looking the plain." (Ferris, Life in the Rocky Mountains, Chapter XXXI)<br /><br />Chapter LIII: "I observed during our stay on the Sararah, that the Indians had two kinds of arrows in their quivers, one of which was made of a single hard stick, feathered and pointed with transparent flint, artfully broken to a proper shape, and firmly fastened to the end of the arrow with sinews and glue. The others were made of a hollow weed, having six or eight inches of hard wood nicely inserted, and firmly glued into it; to the end of which the stone point is fastened, and is poisoned with venom from the fangs of a rattle snake. Hence the slightest wound from them is certain death. These arrows may be known at sight, by the natural joints of the cane; and the artificial one, where the wood part is inserted. They are not solely used in battle, as some have asserted; but are equally advantageous in hunting, for the slightest wound causes the animal to droop, and a few moments places it within the power of the hunter. The flesh of animals thus poisoned, is harmless in the stomach."<br /><br />Chapter LXIII: "Their weapons are bows, arrows, and war-clubs, and are of their own manufacture. Their bows never exceed two and a half feet in length, and are made usually of the rib bones of the buffalo, two of which, in the construction of this weapon, are neatly jointed, glued together, and wound with thongs about the joint; it is gradually tapered from the middle toward each end, is polished, and rendered more elastic by sinews glued on the back, from end to end, over which rattle snake skins are sometimes cemented for ornament. The string is always composed of sinews, twisted together into a cord. Bows are made sometimes of elk horn, and sometimes of wood, but are always strengthened by adding sinews to the back, and not, as an eminent western writer has observed, "by adding buffalo bones to the tough wood."<br /><br />Their arrows (except the poisoned ones of the Sann pitches) are made of wood, slender, never above two feet in length, and are pointed with sharp transparent flints, neatly broken to a dagger-blade shape, from half to three-fourths of an inch in length, which never exceed the latter. These points are ingeniously inserted in a slit in the end of the arrow, are fastened by sinews wrapped around it, and are rendered less liable to damage by being covered with a coat of glue. They have three or four distinct feathers, six or seven inches in length, placed opposite to each other, remaining parallel, but turning gently on the arrow, in order to give it a spiral motion, which prevents its wavering, and enables it to cleave the air with less resistance.<br /><br />They manufacture spears and hooks, also of bone, for fishing, but they are not to be compared to the same instruments made of metal by the whites. But they have been supplied by the traders with light guns, spears, and iron arrow points, which have in measure superseded their own weapons; still, however, bows and arrows are most frequently employed in killing buffalo."<br /><br />----<br /><br />MAXIMILLIAN, PRINCE OF WIED<br /><br />1833 Maximillian, Prince of Wied. 2 large piles of elk antlers not far from confluence of Yellowstone and the Missouri. 80 miles above Ft. Union, 15 ft high, 30 ft diameter. No skulls. Strength of party red strokes. In 1830 no one could remember anything about the piles. Completely destroyed by river boat crews after the 1850s.<br /><br />----<br /><br />LEWIS HENRY MORGAN<br /><br />1862 first professional anthropologist in Montana, Lewis Henry Morgan, but no interest in archaeology, mainly kinship terms. At Fort Benton he saw a lodge, 6-sided made of horizontal cribbed interlocked logs.<br /><br />----<br /><br />1866 Montana settlers- J.A. Hosmer traveling Yellowstone, conical lodges, one found lodge but tore it down for firewood. Rock markings, pictograph paintings on a log.<br /><br />1870s. “Battle lodges” some still used, cone-shaped. Description by Yellowstone Kelly- sweat lodges, platform burials. Conical structures, and rock fortifications on hilltops.<br /><br />1879. First archaeological report by P.W. Norris, superintendent of Yellowstone Park. Stone piles on prominent points, flint quarries along the upper Yellowstone near Emigrant. Long lanes of rock piles. Responsible for idea of “Sheepeater Indians.”<br /><br />Also an article in the Helena Herald mentioning the Hellgate Gulch Pictographs near Townsend (http://www.greerservices.com/Assets/publications_pdfs/1998Plains_MTRockArtRec/1998PlainsMT_RARec_mg.pdf)<br /><br />1892. Indian remains on upper Yellowstone. Col. William Brackett for Smithsonian. Indian semicircular forts from square rocks. 4 feet high near Emigrant. Completely destroyed. Fine buffalo jump- sketches.<br /><br />Garrick Mallery mentioned in the BAE report on pictographic writing near Fort Assiniboine south of Havre, but no detailed information on site and still not located today.<br /><br />So far most descriptions of Indian sites were from eastern Montana. Nothing really from western Montana until <B>Professor Elrod</b> 1908 brief description, photo of large panel of pictographs near Rawlins on Flathead Lake. The pictographs were badly weathered, almost imperceptible. He thought they were Indian writings. Risky business to put yourself into someone else’s mind [Taylor]. Some frequency so can guess, as marks llllll might be day counts.<br /><br />American Museum of Natural History, NY, sent ethnographers- Lowie, Wissler, others in the early part of the 1900s, and they commented on remains they encountered.<br /><br />But really the first scientific descriptions and archaeological research in Montana came from Brown and Nelson. <br /><br /><B>Barnum Brown</B> was an old time naturalist who dug into a jump near Emigrant, and described stratigraphic levels.<br /><br /><B>Nels C. Nelson</B>, (1875-1964) considered father of stratigraphic excavation in the New World. In 1917 over near Pryor Gap, Nelson found rock piles, and systematically peeled off rocks, but found nothing inside. "Nels Christian Nelson was a Danish-born archaeologist, who conducted archaeological work on shell mounds in California and the American southwest as well as in his native Denmark and Spain during the early decades of the 20th century. He worked on refining the stratigraphic methodology begun by researchers of the 19th century, and is probably best remembered as the person who fired the interest of later investigators such as A.V. Kidder in the prehistoric pueblos of the American southwest. "<br />(http://archaeology.about.com/od/nterms/g/nelsonnc.htm)<br />Nelson's work in the Pryor Mountains was mostly in the 1940s for the American Museum of Natural History; he did a series of popular and scientific articles on his excavations there (http://www.greerservices.com/Assets/publications_pdfs/1998Plains_MTRockArtRec/1998PlainsMT_RARec_mg.pdf)<br /><br />----<br /><br />Of course there were many collections of artifacts made by amateur enthusiasts, farmers, and ranchers. But otherwise not much happened until the 1930s, when the Depression resulted in creation of government work agencies like the WPA and CCC.<br /><br /><br />(SOURCE: Dr. Dee Taylor's Lectures; Vol. 3, no. 2 Archaeology in Montana “Short History of Montana Archaeology”)Lance M. Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404310713482611952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718032515311502847.post-12509997426434584632009-02-02T09:44:00.000-08:002009-02-02T10:29:59.700-08:00TABLE OF CONTENTSThese are the working topics for the book MONTANA ARCHAEOLOGY so far:<br /><br />I. A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF ARCHAEOLOGY (First things first)<br />- A. What archaeology is and is not (sorry, it's not about the dinosaurs that Montana is so famous for-- that's paleontology)<br />- B. SCALES OF ARCHAEOLOGY IN THE LAND (ARTIFACT, FEATURE, SITE, LANDSCAPE, SETTLEMENT PATTERNS, REGIONAL COMPARISONS) -- Not all archaeology is subsurface-- some of what it studies, still stands today<br />- C. HOW ARCHAEOLOGY IS DONE-- survey, excavation, analysis<br />- D. ARCHAEOLOGICAL ETHICS AND THE LAW -- collection, legal issues<br /><br />II. ARCHAEOLOGY IN MONTANA (the bulk of the book)<br />- A. HISTORY OF ARCHAEOLOGY DONE IN MONTANA, FROM LEWIS AND CLARK TO TODAY. Special look at what the tribes of Montana thought, and still think, about the past and about archaeology<br />- B. CULTURES IN TIME- PREHISTORIC CULTURES (PaleoIndians, etc.) -TRIBES (connecting tribes to archaeological cultures)-<br />- C. PROJECTILE POINTS AND OTHER PRECONTACT ARTIFACTS; PREHISTORIC SITES AND LANDSCAPES<br />- D. CULTURES IN TIME - HISTORIC ARCHAEOLOGY IN MONTANA (exploration, trails and roads, military (forts and battlefields), furtrade, mining, ranching/farming, settlement, industrial, urban, underwater, etc.)<br />- E. HISTORIC ARTIFACTS; HISTORIC SITES AND LANDSCAPES<br />- F. PRESERVATION and analysis of archaeological historic/cultural landscapes (archaeological patterns on the land, typologies of prehistoric and historic landscapes)<br /><br />IV. PLACES TO VISIT AND THINGS TO DO<br />- A. Info on places you can actually go visit, and any events; museums, historic sites, archaeological sites, landscapes<br /><br />V. FOR MORE INFO: BOOKS, ORGANIZATIONS, WEBSITES<br />- A. Recommended sources (publications, websites) for the general public<br />- B. Organizations you can join; ways to participate in archaeology<br /><br />BIBLIOGRAPHY - citations from sources consulted<br />GLOSSARY - specialized terminology<br />INDEX - how to find what you are looking for!<br /><br />In some ways, this book is a public performance art piece; it is a work in progress... This project is not about jargon or trying to be the smartest monkey in the trees, but it's about the end-user: the kid with a school project, the guy in the hills that finds something interesting and old, the landowner or politician that has to make heads or tails of archaeology stuff they have to deal with-- and maybe even enjoy dealing with!Lance M. Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404310713482611952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718032515311502847.post-20747061790384549612009-02-01T14:49:00.000-08:002009-02-01T16:56:03.117-08:00Montana Archaeology: An Introduction to the Author and the Project<H3>ABOUT THE AUTHOR</H3><br />My first solo book, about the Native Americans of Iowa, will be published later this year (Fall 2009) by the <A HREF="http://www.uipress.uiowa.edu/">University of Iowa Press</A>. I have also been working on the research for a book on the archaeology of Montana, just a general introduction and guide for those interested in Montana's prehistoric and historic past. I developed and currently teach a class in introductory archaeology as an adjunct faculty member at the <A HREF="http://www.umhelena.edu/">University of Montana, Helena College of Technology</A>.<br /><br />Although I got my M.A. in Anthropology from <A HREF="www.iastate.edu/">Iowa State University</A>, I graduated with my B.A. from the University of Montana's anthropology department back in 1984. I grew up here in Helena, walking around in the hills with my family since I was a little kid, looking at the ghost towns, abandoned mines, and pictograph sites that peppered the forests. There was a lot more around you could see back in the 1960s and 1970s; much has been destroyed by time, vandalism, and development over the last few decades. At the <A HREF="http://www.umt.edu/">University of Montana</A>, in the early 1980s, I took courses from Dr. Dee Taylor, Dr. Carling Malouf, and Dr. Thomas Foor. Dr. Taylor taught the class "Archaeology of Montana" which I took (and got an A in!) I still have notes from his class, which provided part of the framework and content for this project.<br /><br />I returned home to Montana from my time on the road for several years (1986-1990) as an archaeovagrant, aka <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shovelbum">shovelbum</A> on various projects around the U.S.; it's called "paying your dues" in the world of archaeology. In 1990, I worked as a field archaeologist on the <A HREF="www.fs.fed.us/r1/helena/">Helena National Forest</A> (HNF). I then became a student intern for HNF in 1991 and returned to get my M.A. at Iowa State University. I continued to work as a field archaeologist during the summer seasons for HNF until 1994, when I graduated with the M.A. in Anthropology. Unfortunately I was not converted as a fulltime employee at that time, as was supposed to happen, and so I returned to ISU to get an M.L.A. in Landscape Architecture, with the focus in historic and cultural landscapes. I graduated with the M.L.A. in 1997.<br /><br />From 1997-2006, my career took me in different directions, from working for the <A HREF="http://www.nps.gov/">National Park Service</A> in the Southwest and Alaska, to working for the <A HREF="http://www.oha.org">Office of Hawaiian Affairs</A> (OHA). In 2006, I returned to Montana and in 2007 started teaching a class in art at UM-Helena; in 2008 I developed and taught a class in archaeology; last year's blog entries on this site were part of that class. This is the second year I am teaching this class, but am taking a different approach.<br /><br /><H3>ABOUT THIS PROJECT</H3><br />This book is intended to be a basic introduction to the archaeology and historic/cultural landscapes of Montana. I started doing some background research for it last year, but when I read <A HREF="http://www.writersdigest.com/article/does-free-pay">an article</A> this week, I was inspired to take this book in a new direction:<br /><br /><BLOCKQUOTE><I>Chris Anderson wants to give his next book to you for free. No, the Wired magazine editor-in-chief and author of The Long Tail hasn’t lost his mind, nor is he trying to go broke. It probably doesn’t even have anything to do with the fact that he’s a trained physicist and a descendant of one of the founders of the American anarchist movement. With his keen eye for trends in the Internet-driven world and the tech savvy that earned Wired its first National Magazine Award under his tenure, Anderson believes giving away his book will actually help him sell more books.<br /><br />...Anderson’s strategy for giving away his new book (and for marketing products in general), aptly titled Free, is in many ways a testimony to the staying power of the printed book. <br /><br />Anderson says he and his publisher plan to make Free (to be published in 2009 by Hyperion) available in every way possible, beginning with e-book and audio versions, and “further than that”—though he won’t say what, exactly, further will look like.<br /><br />“I believe that the physical book is the superior product,” he says. “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t do this. I make a physical magazine, after all; we understand what paper can do that pixels can’t. Physical books will remain the superior way to read longer, immersive takes on a subject.”<br /><br />...“I don’t come from the book or media world; I’m trained as a computational physicist,” Anderson says. “We in the software world wrote our code in public. That’s what beta testing is all about. Doing things in public is the norm. I took the habits that were most conventional, just like getting peer reviews in science, and applied it to my books.”<br /><br />...No matter his commitment to the varieties of technology, the rise of blogging and other electronic forms of reading other than books, Anderson still subscribes to the paper and ink form. <br /><br />“I’m a huge believer in the traditional book,” he says. “Everything else just helps cement the form of physical books.” <A HREF="http://www.writersdigest.com/article/does-free-pay">(http://www.writersdigest.com/article/does-free-pay)</A></I></BLOCKQUOTE><br /><br />This is the rationale behind writing the book in public. One of the most enjoyable experiences I ever had was painting a mural on a bar in a village called Ara in Nigeria, Africa in 1996. People were always coming around, watching, offering criticisms and ideas. While some artists sequester themselves in a studio, I really enjoyed the energy of working in public. So that's why I decided to take Anderson's idea of writing in public and turning this Montana archaeology project into a publicly-written book. We'll see how it goes! <br /><br />This blog/book is written for the interested general public, rather than specialists. Please add comments, ideas, corrections, things you would like to see! When the project is done, the book will be available not only as this blog, but as a free download in PDF form, as well as some hardcopy traditional published form yet to be determined.Lance M. Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404310713482611952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718032515311502847.post-18910712875626756722008-05-04T10:26:00.000-07:002008-05-04T10:46:15.648-07:00COLLAPSE, Global Warming, and Peak OilSo as we have read Jared Diamond's <I>Collapse</I>, with its first part on the situation in Montana, we have come to do some real consideration of the economic, societal and environmental trajectory we seem to be on. But don't build your stockade in the woods, stock up on sacks of flour, and ammunition quite yet. There is a lot of info out there right now to consider in planning for your future, as well as that of your family and community. No one, I repeat no one, knows how it will all work out. Perhaps it will be apocalyptic, perhaps we will decline like Rome, perhaps everything will be fine for another 5, 10, 20 years. But this is life, and the reality is, life is about change. I don't know whether a future that looks like something out of "I am Legend" or "Soylent Green" is better or worse than one like out of "Silent Running" or "The Matrix." Or whether a future is coming that is more like "The Grapes of Wrath," or some GMO-nightmare where we must continue to consume our fair share at Wal-Mart and gauge the worth of our neighbor by how much he has in his bank account, what he drives or what he wears, rather than the character and morals he exemplifies in the worst of times. We'll see. The variables are too complex really. But in the meantime, here are some more thought-provoking sources for you to read and put in the ol' gray computer we were born with:<br /><br />Growing up in Russia during its societal changes in the 1990s:<br />http://www.sott.net/articles/show/147683-Survival-in-Times-of-Uncertainty-Growing-Up-in-Russia-in-the-1990s<br /><br />Causabon's Book, a blog from a modern homesteader and mother, trying to figure out her family's future:<br />http://sharonastyk.com/<br /><br />Perspectives on Nature and Culture, Change, and possible future scenarios from a modern Druid:<br />http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.com/<br />You can also check out his essay "How Civilizations Fall: A Theory of Catabolic Collapse" at http://www.xs4all.nl/~wtv/powerdown/greer.htm<br /><br />Finally, "Life After the Oil Crash":<br />http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net/Lance M. Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404310713482611952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718032515311502847.post-47606964831872966262008-05-02T09:04:00.000-07:002008-05-02T09:05:56.279-07:00Class on TuesdayClass on Tuesday-- there will be a surpriseLance M. Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404310713482611952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718032515311502847.post-19831873402082498122008-04-10T10:28:00.000-07:002008-04-10T11:50:42.096-07:00RECAP OF THE SYLLABUS FOR THE REST OF THE TERM: FINAL TERM PAPER INSTEAD OF FINAL EXAMAfter this week is over, we only have four more weeks of instruction to go in this semester!<br /><br />It's time to look at where we are at in class, what's coming up and important dates... recapping the syllabus--- with the changes that we agreed upon in class!!!<br /><br />Note the changes... important dates include April 29 (turn in your first draft of the term paper) and May 13 (turn in your final term paper-- no late papers will be accepted).<br /><br />WEEK TWELVE<br /><br />Apr. 8 T Lessons from Archaeology: “Collapse”: Easter Island and the Polynesians<br />(The class discussion was good. We watched the video "Archaeology: Riddles of the Monument Builders," the second segment, "Mysteries of Easter Island.")<br />Reading assignment for next class: Diamond, “Part Two: Past Societies”: “Chapter 4: The Ancient Ones: The Anasazi and Their Neighbors” (pp. 136-156) and “Chapter 5: The Maya Collapses” (pp. 157-177).<br /><br />Apr. 10 Th Lessons from Archaeology: “Collapse”: The Anasazi and the Maya<br />Reading assignment for next class: Diamond, “Part Two: Past Societies”: “Chapter 6: The Viking Prelude and Fugues” (pp. 178-210) and “Chapter 7: Norse Greenland’s Flowering” (pp. 211-247).<br /><br />WEEK THIRTEEN<br /><br />Apr. 15 T Lessons from Archaeology: “Collapse”: The Vikings, Part I<br />Reading assignment for next class: Diamond, “Part Two: Past Societies”: “Chapter 8: Norse Greenland’s End” (pp. 248-276) and “Chapter 9: Opposite Paths to Success” (pp. 277-308.<br /><br />Apr. 17 Th Lessons from Archaeology: “Collapse”: The Vikings, Part II<br />Reading assignment for next class: Diamond, “Part Three: Modern Societies”: “Chapter 10: Malthus in Africa: Rwanda’s Genocide” (pp. 311-328) and “Chapter 11: One Island, Two Peoples, Two Histories: The Dominican Republic and Haiti” (pp. 329-357).<br /><br />WEEK FOURTEEN<br /><br />Apr. 22 T Lessons from Archaeology: “Collapse”: Modern Societies: Africa and the Caribbean<br />Reading assignment for next class: Diamond, “Part Three: Modern Societies”: “Chapter 12: China, Lurching Giant” (pp. 358-377) and “Chapter 13: ‘Mining’ Australia” (pp. 378-416.<br /><br />Apr. 24 Th Lessons from Archaeology: “Collapse”: Modern Societies: Asia and the Pacific<br />Reading assignment for next class: Diamond, “Practical Lessons”: “Chapter 14: Why Do Some Societies Make Disastrous Decisions?” (pp. 419-440) and “Chapter 15: Big Businesses and the Environment: Different Conditions, Different Outcomes” (pp. 441-485).<br /><br />WEEK FIFTEEN<br /><br />(Apr. 28 M LAST DAY TO WITHDRAW FROM CLASS)<br /><br />Apr. 29 T Lessons from Archaeology: “Collapse”: Practical Lessons: Societies, Businesses and the Environment<br /><B>DRAFT OF FINAL TERM PAPER DUE</B> I will review them, make corrections, and return them to you in 1 week.<br />Reading assignment for next class: Diamond, “Practical Lessons”: “Chapter 16: The World as a Polder: What Does It All Mean to Us Today?” (pp. 486-525).<br /><br />May 1 Th Lessons from Archaeology: “Collapse”: Practical Lessons: “What Does It All Mean to Us Today?”<br />(Short research paper originally due today is cancelled, along with the final; instead both will be combined as the final research paper due next week!)<br /><br />WEEK SIXTEEN<br /><br />May 6 T Fieldtrip to Montana Historical Society, Archaeological Collections, and State Historic Preservation Office<br /><B>I RETURN YOUR DRAFT TERM PAPERS FOR REVISION</B> You will have 1 week to revise them according to my comments and turn them back in for the final grade.<br /><br />May 8 Th Last Class: Guest Speaker<br /><br />WEEK SEVENTEEN (FINAL EXAM WEEK)<br /><br /><B> May 13, Tuesday: No lecture-- TURN IN FINAL TERM PAPERS AT BEGINNING OF CLASS!</B> No late papers accepted.<br /><br />FINAL EXAM:<br />According to the Final Exam schedule, the final exam for our class would start at 3:10 on Thursday, May 15. Since we are doing a final term paper in lieu of the exam, we don't need to worry about that.<br /><br />GRADING CLARIFICATION:<br />Since the final paper is substituting for the short paper on Collapse (20 points) and the Final (30 points), the Final Term Paper is worth 50 points, half of your grade (the first test was 30 points, the first paper was 10 points, and class participation is 10 points). If you attended class regularly and participated (I do pay attention to that), that will count, remember...Lance M. Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404310713482611952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718032515311502847.post-8924581809338387032008-04-09T07:52:00.000-07:002008-04-09T07:57:46.170-07:00Big Timber Archaeological Field School, Summer 2008<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-SILlLeJhY0/R_zZYUHz6KI/AAAAAAAAALU/Mqc59wdy6LY/s1600-h/fieldschool.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-SILlLeJhY0/R_zZYUHz6KI/AAAAAAAAALU/Mqc59wdy6LY/s400/fieldschool.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5187259882565527714" /></a><br />Posted by request of Ellen Baumler at the Montana Historical Society:<br /><br />Dear Colleagues,<br /> <br />Chris Merritt, a Ph.D. student in anthropology at U of M, is recruiting for a field school for credit at Big Timber, May 25-June 14. Chris is a very capable, energetic young man who is an experienced archaeologist. I can personally vouch for his credentials as I am serving on his dissertation committee. My daughter took his field school, under the directorship of Dr. Kelly Dixon, last year and it was a tremendous learning experience. Chris is doing some very exciting, groundbreaking work on the Chinese in Montana . The site in Big Timber promises to be very interesting and rich in artifacts.<br /> <br />Please pass the attached flyer along to anyone interested in Montana history or archaeology. It is a great opportunity.<br /> <br />Thanks for your time!<br /> <br />Ellen Baumler, Ph.D.<br />Montana Historical Society<br />406-444-1687 <br /><br />ARCHAEOLOGICAL <br />FIELD SCHOOL <br />In partnership with local private property owners, the University of <br />Montana is holding a field school to excavate the remnants of Big <br />Timber’s largely forgotten Chinese district. Chinese came to Big <br />Timber while working on the Northern Pacific Railroad in the <br />1880s. After completion of the railroad dozens of Chinese immi- <br />grants called Big Timber home, and started a variety of businesses <br />to service the townspeople of the town and travelers of the rail- <br />road, including four restaurants and numerous laundries. Today, <br />all that remains of the Big Timber Chinese community are stories, <br />and the buried archaeological deposits of a laundry/restaurant <br />located on private property. Field school participants will be re- <br />quired to camp in primitive conditions for three, five-day weeks. <br />Students enrolled in this course will learn surveying and excava- <br />tion techniques. <br />Dates: May 25-June 14, 2008; 4 credits <br />Requirements <br />♦ No Previous Experience Necessary! <br />♦ Personal Camping Gear <br />♦ All Food and Travel Provided during work <br />Phone: 406-243-2450 <br />Fax: 406.243.4918 <br />E-mail: christopher.merritt@umontana.edu <br />Interested? <br />BIG TIMBER CHINATOWN <br />Please Submit a Curriculum Vitae (or Resume), and an <br />unofficial copy of your university transcripts to: <br /> <br />Christopher Merritt, Ph.D. Student <br />University of Montana <br />Department of Anthropology <br />Missoula, MT 59812 <br /><br />Total Cost ($765 Lab Fee included): <br />*Undergraduate: Resident: $1645.60 Non-Resident: $3646.40 <br />*Graduate: Resident: $1690.00 Non-Resident: $3764.60Lance M. Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404310713482611952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718032515311502847.post-11270561086573001122008-03-14T18:39:00.000-07:002008-03-14T18:40:42.206-07:00Hotel Broadwater in HelenaIt's all gone now, but I remember it still standing when I was a kid, on the west edge of town...<br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bByQy6dZRL8&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bByQy6dZRL8&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>Lance M. Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404310713482611952noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718032515311502847.post-35602361707895237192008-03-12T07:35:00.000-07:002008-03-12T07:36:49.715-07:00Badfinger: Classic 70s Rock<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/C53QAuOoSgc&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/C53QAuOoSgc&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>Lance M. Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404310713482611952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718032515311502847.post-82313996852385606962008-02-22T14:33:00.000-08:002008-02-22T15:31:09.836-08:00Feb. 21: Understanding the Past / Cannibalism and CreationismFeb. 21: Reading assignments for Thursday, Feb. 21: Ashmore and Sharer, Chapter 9: “Understanding the Past,” Pp. 212-237 and Chapter 11, “Old Time Religion – New Age Visions,” pp. 278-310.<br /><br /><H1>Understanding the Past...and Difficult Subjects (Cannibalism and Creationism)</H1><br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rFDgSKbapzY&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rFDgSKbapzY&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><br /><I>Monty Python is at it again, talking about things that people would really rather not talk about...in this case cannibalism and other nasty bits!</I><br /><br />Today's assignment was to read the chapter in Ashmore and Sharer about how archaeologists try and understand the past through one of the three "schools of thought" in contemporary archaeology, Culture-History, Processualism, and Post-Processualism. The main thing to remember is that the Culture-History developed first, focused on historical explanations for culture change (what, when, where), and was the dominant approach up until the 1960s. Processualism was a materialist reaction which really began in earnest in the 1960s, as a dissatisfaction with the Culture-History school; processualism was an attempt to find laws of cultural change (how and why) through rigorous application of the scientific method. However it also could go only so far in grappling with issues of the human past, and so in the 1980s, it was critiqued itself in a new movement (actually a series of approaches) called postprocessualism, which tied to get at the individual's place in the human past and the attempt to learn about the ideology (meaning, symbolism, etc.) of past cultures. The outline of the chapter is found below.<br /><br />We watched the second half of the videotape "Archaeology: Ancient America;" the first half we watched in Tuesday's class. The tape's first half was about the 9000-year-old Archaic culture of the U.S. Southwest, which would develop into the Anasazi, and then the Pueblo Indians. The second half was about the evidence for cannibalism found in some of the caves occupied during the times of the Anasazi, a matter of debate among archaeologists. We talked in class about the evidence, about the different types of cannibalism (ritual cannibalism, contingency cannibalism, and dietary cannibalism) and found that while cannibalism is nowhere near as common as popular imagination would believe, it has, and does happen in severe survival situations (contingency cannibalism as a result of the plane crash in the Andes, or the stories of the Wendigo in the Canadian subarctic) and in some ritual contexts in a few cultures (eating or biting the heart of a brave enemy to attain his courage in my tribe, the Ioway, or the former cannibalism of certain peoples in Papua New Guinea associated with the disease "kuru"). But there is no evidence of sustained dietary cannibalism of any group of people in a nonsurvival situation. Ultimately, this taboo is so embedded in human experience, it still brings up strong emotional reactions when discussed...even in scientists! ;-) <br /><br />And in the last discussion of the day, we wrestled with the chapter in Feder about scientific creationism, and the evidence and social context of arguments for and against it. It was a tough discussion, I hope we will have more, but one we can't shy away from, whatever we ultimately decide to believe for ourselves about what we think we understand about the past. If anthropologists/archaeologists can't talk about taboo subjects, who can?<br /><br />==========================<br /><br />I. CULTURE HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION- Temporal and spatial syntheses of data- what, when, where<br /><br />- A. Inevitable variation- all cultures change over time<br /><br />- B. Internal factors:<br />--- 1. Cultural invention- new ideas arise within cultures<br />--- 2. Cultural selection- like natural selection<br />--- 3. Cultural drift- like genetic drift, tranmission incomplete so over time has a random effect<br />--- 4. Cultural revival- of elements that fallen into disuse<br /><br />- C. External factors:<br />--- 1. Diffusion<br />--- 2. Trade<br />--- 3. Migration<br />--- 4. Conquest<br />--- 5. Environmental change<br /><br />II. PROCESSUAL INTERPRETATION- Often based on data collected through culture history, test series of competing hypotheses- how and why<br /><br />- A. Systems (synchronic)- interactions in system<br />--- 1. Feedback<br />--- 2. Negative feedback<br />--- 3. Positive feedback<br /><br />- B. Ecological (synchronic)- interaction with its environment<br />--- 1. Cultural ecology: physical landscape, biological component, cultural environment<br />--- 2. Cultural adaptation<br />--- 3. Computer simulation<br /><br />- C. Multilinear evolutionary concepts (diachronic)- over time, causality from either prime movers or multiple/multivariate factors<br />--- 1. Multilinear cultural evolutionary models<br />--- 2. Prime movers<br />--- 3. Multivariate strategy<br /><br />III. POSTPROCESSUAL AND EMERGENT INTERPRETATIONS- original meaning of culture at level of individual, as decision-maker and meaning-laden context (cultural relativity)<br /><br />- A. Decision-making models<br /><br />IV. UNDERSTANDING THE PAST FROM MULTIPLE APPROACHES<br /><br />- A. Combine all three<br /><br /><br />FEDER Chapter 11: "Old Time Religion- New Age Visions"<br />Scientific creationism: Noah’s ark, Footprints in time, Creationism through animatronics, Other guises of creationism<br />The Shroud of Turin- testing the shroud<br />Burial boxes of Jerusalem<br />New Age Prehistory<br />Current Perspectives: Religions Old and New<br /><br />Reading assignment for next class, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2008: Ashmore and Sharer, Chapter 10: “Archaeology Today,” pp. 238-254 and Feder, Chapter 12, “Real Mysteries of a Veritable Past,” pp. 311-333.Lance M. Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404310713482611952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718032515311502847.post-40945421204353091642008-02-21T08:45:00.000-08:002008-02-21T08:51:27.355-08:00Paper Style Guide IssueI notice that the AAA website currently has problems with its style guide PDF file. Instead, use the SAA style guide, which is pretty much the same. It is at: <a href="http://www.saa.org/publications/Styleguide/styleGuide.pdf"> http://www.saa.org/publications/Styleguide/styleGuide.pdf</a>. You might want to download and save the entire PDF document for reference in case SAA has problems in the future when you are writing your Paper #2.Lance M. Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404310713482611952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718032515311502847.post-30528388546723494652008-02-19T19:19:00.000-08:002008-02-19T19:44:38.540-08:00Feb. 19: Reconstructing the PastFeb. 19: Reading assignment for today’s class: Ashmore and Sharer, Chapter 8: “Reconstructing the Past,” Pp. 179-211.<br /><br /><H1>Reconstructing the Past</H1><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-SILlLeJhY0/R7ufI1zTYcI/AAAAAAAAAK8/yJmDfIJoYRI/s1600-h/darl-icon.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-SILlLeJhY0/R7ufI1zTYcI/AAAAAAAAAK8/yJmDfIJoYRI/s400/darl-icon.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168899971567804866" /></a><br /><I>Learn more about this image at <a href=http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/mckinney/darl.html>The Darl Living Surface: A Transitional Archaic Camp</a></I><br /><br /><H2>I. ANALOGY</H2><br /><br />Past activities can never be observed, so must interpret based on comparison with other societies- living, recorded in writing (history, ethnography)<br />Analogy- unknown is inferred from known<br /><br />Uses and abuses of analogy (e.g., Abuse (use of only one criterion))<br /><br />Specific and General Analogy<br /><br />Specific analogy- <br />1. cultural continuity, <br />2. comparability in environment<br />3. similarity of cultural form<br />General analogy- actualistic studies between actual behaviors and particular material remains<br /><br />Sources of Analogs:<br />Historical<br />Ethnographic<br />Ethnoarchaeology (living societies)<br />Experimental archaeology<br />More the analog links, more reliable-- sources such as history, enthnography, actualistic studies (experimental archaeology)<br /><br />Analog + spatial order of data = reconstruction of past behavior<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-SILlLeJhY0/R7uh41zTYdI/AAAAAAAAALE/4gY1QgGzu5I/s1600-h/GIS.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-SILlLeJhY0/R7uh41zTYdI/AAAAAAAAALE/4gY1QgGzu5I/s400/GIS.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168902995224781266" /></a><br /><I>Learn about using GIS in archaeology at ESRI's <a href=http://www.esri.com/library/journals/archaeology/> Journal of GIS in Archaeology</a></I><br /><br /><H2>II. IDENTIFYING ACTIVITIES IN SPACE</H2><br /><br />Three broad areas- Techno-economic (text terms it technology, but really focuses on both technology and economics), 2. Social Systems, and 3. Ideology<br /><br />1. Technology (includes economy too, so sometimes also called Techno-economic) – most direct (physical) interaction with the environment- the set of techniques and knowledge to procure raw resources and transform them into tools, food, shelter, etc. -Cultural choices using the environment- Cultural ecology.<br /><br />Cultural Ecology- interaction of people/culture with the natural environment. Much of it is focused on subsistence. Reconstruct the ancient environment through observation of the current landscape (topography and biotic & mineral resources) and collection/analysis of ecofacts.<br /><br /><br />2. Social systems- roles and relationships among people, such as kinship, political structure, exchange networks, etc. - settlement patterns- spatial arrangement at different scales- activity areas, households, sites, landscapes (site cachement), regions- which data are nonlocal and represent exchanges (analogies from ethnography, economics, geography)<br /><br />Two different approaches:<br /><br />A. Settlement Archaeology- study of spatial distribution of ancient human activities and occupations at scales from site to regional<br />B. Exchange systems- ways to acquire goods and services not available locally<br /><br />Spatial patterns reflect behavioral patterns-<br /><br />a. single structure/household/occupation level (ex: cave floor)- activity areas (food preparation, sleep, storage) (ex: Micromorphology)<br /><br />b. sites or settlements may reflect social stratification and social control (size and elaboration of residential units)<br /><br />c. region (GIS helps)<br />-reconstruct function of each component in the settlement system and look at ways the components fit together into system (social network)<br />-Regional Analysis (from economic geography)<br /> Locational Analysis- located in place where maximum number of resources can most efficiently be used with least amount of effort, natural environment and also neighboring groups<br /> Central Place Theory- as landscape fills with people, settlements tend to be evenly distributed, and central places- settlements with wider goods and services, arise at regular intervals in overall distribution- pattern tends to be hexagonal-lattice, like honeycomb<br />==Most recently broadest scale also focuses on the landscape, relationships among all cultural and natural features on the land<br />--Symbols attached to natural features in the land, such as mounds and rock art locations<br /><br />3. Ideology- ideological systems- knowledge and beliefs as way to explain the world and meaning of life --most difficult to approach in archaeology- few material remains- symbols (symbolic archaeology) but difficult to be sure of the interpretation- writing IF present can help but many societies did not have writing, --rock art, pottery decorations, archaeoastronomy- study of ancient astronomical knowledge from material remains (observatories, medicine wheels, solar year, lunar phases, and stars), etc. can all help with this. Worldviews underlying concepts- three vs four, etc<br /><br />The Goal of Archaeology is to reconstruct and understand past lifeways- most complete reconstructions should take into account all three areas—although technology-economy are the easiest areas to investigate, and social organization is not far behind, the reconstruction also should attempt to work with the ideological sphere as well, though as an immaterial aspect of culture (though its products often have material results), ideology is much more difficult and less amenable to the scientific method which was developed for material aspects of reality (and some scientists believe that materiality IS the only reality!)<br /><br />Reading assignments for next class on Thursday, Feb. 21: Ashmore and Sharer, Chapter 9: “Understanding the Past,” Pp. 212-237 and Chapter 11, “Old Time Religion – New Age Visions,” pp. 278-310.Lance M. Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404310713482611952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718032515311502847.post-88951782048597559752008-02-14T18:37:00.000-08:002008-02-14T19:03:05.712-08:00Feb. 14: Dating the PastFeb. 14: Dating the Past<br />Reading for Today: Ashmore and Sharer, "Dating the Past," pp. 157-178.<br /><br /><H1>Dating the Past</H1><br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ErgdpG_N9vQ&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ErgdpG_N9vQ&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><br /><I>This is a great video about radiocarbon dating, also known as carbon-14 dating! This is the most generally useful method of absolute dating used in archaeology.</I><br /><br />The most important things to remember about dating archaeological data:<br /><br />1. Every method has its applicability/limitations to certain situations, materials, and ages.<br />2. The more you can cross-check dates through different methods, the more reliable the dates.<br />3. Your dates are only as good as your data, the way they were collected, etc.<br />4. You generally will not do the dating yourself, only the sampling; data is sent to laboratories and specialists, and can be expensive.<br />5. Dating materials is not an end in itself; dating is only significant in terms of the research questions you are asking.<br /><br />TOPICS DISCUSSED IN CLASS (Read the Chapter for details):<br /><br />Direct dating- analysis of the artifact, ecofact, or feature itself to find its age<br />vs<br />Indirect dating- analysis of the material associated with the artifact/ecofact/feature to find the age (ex: the matrix around the artifact)<br /><br />Relative dating- evaluating the age of one artifact/ecofact/feature relative to another (which is older than the other)<br />vs<br />Absolute dating- placing the age of the artifact/ecofact/feature on an absolute time scale (such as 4000 B.C. or A.D. 1970)…most are expressed in a range (the plus-minus symbol, or as "ca."= circa)<br /><br />SERIATION<br />Seriation<br />Stylistic seriation<br />Frequency seriation - battleship-shaped curves<br /><br />SEQUENCE COMPARISON<br />Sequence comparison aka cross-dating<br /><br />STRATIGRAPHY<br />Stratigraphy<br /><br />GEOCHRONOLOGY<br />Geochronology<br />Horizontal stratigraphy<br /><br />OBSIDIAN HYDRATION<br />Obsidian hydration<br /><br />FLORAL AND FAUNAL METHODS<br />Dendrochronology<br />Bone chemistry<br /><br />RADIOMETRIC METHODS<br />Radiometric<br />Half-life<br />Radiocarbon dating (carbon-14)<br />Potassium-argon dating<br />Argon-argon dating<br />Uranium-series dating<br />Fission-track dating<br /><br />ARCHAEOMAGNETISM<br />Archaeomagnetism<br /><br />LIMITED AND EXPERIMENTAL METHODS<br />=========<br /><br /><H2>Genographic Project</H2><br /><br />In today's class, we also watched a portion of the DVD about the National Geographic Society's "Genographic Project." <br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gdFB2w0LzKo&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gdFB2w0LzKo&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><br />DNA studies such as the <a href=https://www3.nationalgeographic.com/genographic/>Genographic Project</a> have been used to supplement and cross-check the archaeological record, and the spread of humankind across the globe.<br /><br /><B>Next class's reading assignment (Tuesday, Feb. 19) is Ashmore and Sharer, Chapter 8: “Reconstructing the Past,” Pp. 179-211.</B>Lance M. Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404310713482611952noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718032515311502847.post-53496023927173634172008-02-12T21:42:00.000-08:002008-02-12T22:26:21.626-08:00Feb. 12: Analyzing the PastFeb. 12<br />Reading for today:<br />Ashmore and Sharer, Chapter 6, "Analyzing the Past," pp. 125-156.<br /><br /><H1>Analyzing the Past: Artifacts, Ecofacts, and Features</H1><br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Qne9-M_kGcQ&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Qne9-M_kGcQ&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><I>We talked about Lithic Analysis today and in the video you saw an example of flintknapping. There are LOTS of vids on flintknapping on YouTube (See http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=flintknapping&search_type=&search=Search) and this is just one example...watch at least a bit of several listed on YouTube...including a 10-year-old flintknapper!</I><br /><br /><B>Remember! Next class (Thursday, Feb. 14) your first paper is due!</B><br /><br />Today in class, we watched the videotape "People of the Hearth" about the PaleoIndian occupation of Barton Gulch in southwest Montana, about 9,400 years ago. It was very well done, with re-enacted scenes of daily life, and portrayed a processualist approach to archaeology. There were many specialized analyses in the video, including faunal analysis (ex: the deer bones at the site), floral analysis (ex: the use of goosefoot and prickly pear seeds for food), and lithic analysis (ex: the presence of obsidian). There were also several examples of experimental archaeology, including atlatl use, flintknapping, and cooking using ancient technigues such as sandwiching meat packets between layers of dampened bulrushes (Scirpus). Then we proceeded to the lecture; the outline is given below (just highlighted terms are given here; be sure and read the text!).<br /><br /><B>ARTIFACTS</B><br /><br />Industries<br /><br /><I>Lithics:</I>Chipped/Flaked Stone and Ground-stone<br /><br />Lithics are the most common prehistoric artifacts in Montana<br /><br />Chipped Stone:<br />Types of stone that fracture in a regular way: flint or chert, CCR, obsidian, basalt, quartz/quartzite<br />Variety of techniques<br />Core<br />Bulb of Percussion<br />Uniface<br />Biface<br />Flake<br />Blades<br />Lithic scatter<br />Debitage<br />Direct percussion<br />Indirect percussion<br />Pressure flaking<br />Retouching (retouched flakes)<br />Striking platform<br />Kinds of tools:<br />=Drills, gravers, points, blades, microblades, knives, spokeshaves, scrapers, shavers<br />Ground-stone<br />=Mano and Metate/grinding slab/quern<br />=Mortar and pestle<br />==>See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithic_analysis ; http://archnet.asu.edu/topical/Selected_Topics/Lithics.php<br /><br /><I>Ceramics</I><br />Ceramics: pottery, figurines, musical instruments, spindle whorls <br />(ceramics is additive technology vs lithics is subtractive)<br />Pottery<br />Potsherd (sometimes spelled shard)<br />Plasticity<br />Clay, temper, kneading/wedging<br />Pinching, Coiling, slabs, molds, wheel<br />Slip, glaze<br />Firing: up to three stages: dehydration, oxidation, vitrification<br />Analysis: by attribute (stylistic, form, technological); residues; provenience<br />Analyses: Form, wear use, residue<br />Montana Ceramics: Not much, only Intermountain Ware and the kind up in NE Montana<br />-->See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pottery<br /><br /><I>Metallurgy</I><br />Extracts metals from ores<br />Cold hammering copper<br />Annealing<br />Smelting<br />Alloys<br />Copper - bronze -iron (+ carbon = steel)<br />==>See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metallurgy<br /><br /><I>Organic Artifacts</I><br />Problem with preservation<br />Wood, plant fibers (textiles, basketry, etc.), bone, antler, ivory, shell<br />Analysis: form, biotic resources<br /><br /><B>ECOFACTS</B><br />Classification different than artifacts; based on appropriate connection to zoology, botany, geology<br /><br /><I>Floral</I><br />1. Microspecimens: pollen, phytoliths<br />2. Macrospecimens: seeds, leaves, casts/impressions<br /><br /><I>Faunal</I><br />MNI= minimum number of individuals<br /><br /><I>Human Remains</I>: biological / physical anthropology<br />Ethical issues<br />Diets<br />DNA<br />Mummification/bogs<br />Paleopathology<br />coprolites<br />==>See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forensic_archaeology; ETHICS: http://www.worldarchaeologicalcongress.org/site/about_ethi.php<br /><br /><I>Geological</I><br />Soils and Sediments<br />=Geoarchaeology purposes (4):<br />1. Establish stratigraphy of site<br />2. Date the site<br />3. Understand natural site formation processes<br />4. Reconstruct the ancient landscape<br />-geomorphology<br />==>See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoarchaeology<br /><br /><B>FEATURES</B><br />Again, formal, and technological analyses (stylistic not as common as location)<br />--location and arrangement show distribution and organization of human activities<br />1. Constructed features- Built to provide space for an activity or set of activities (ex: windbreak, house, grave)<br />2. Cumulative features- Formed by accretion rather than a preplanned or designed construction of an activity area or facility (ex: midden, quarry, workshop area)<br />-conjoining studies<br />==>See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feature_(archaeology)<br /><br /><I>Sites mentioned in this chapter:</I><br />Stonehenge (England)<br />Chalcuapa (El Salvador)<br />Gordion (Turkey)<br />Shang Dynasty bronze vessels (China)<br />La Tene (Munsingen, Switzerland)<br />Hohokam (Arizona)<br />Olsen-Chubbuck (Colorado)<br />Upper Mantaro River Valley (Peru)<br />Star Carr (England)<br />Makapansgat (South Africa)<br />Tehuacan (Mexico)<br />North Acropolis, Tikal (Guatemala)<br />Lake Titicaca (Bolivia)<br />Acrotiri, Thera/Santorini (Aegean Sea, Greece)<br />Pompeii (Italy)<br />Ilopango volcano area (El Salvador)<br />Quirigua, Motagua River (Guatemala)<br />Scara Brae (Orkney Islands, Scotland)<br />Pyramids (Egypt)<br />Moche Valley (Peru)<br />Sweet Track, Somerset Levels (England)<br />Mono tribal sites (Sierra Nevada, California)<br />Bighorn Medicine Wheel (Wyoming)<br />Meer II (Belgium)<br /><br />Next Class Readings for Thursday:<br />Ashmore and Sharer, Chapter 7: "Dating the Past," pp. 157-178<br /><br /><B>AGAIN, REMEMBER YOUR PAPER IS DUE AT THE BEGINNING OF THURSDAY'S CLASS</B>Lance M. Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404310713482611952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718032515311502847.post-82476823982722745972008-02-07T12:40:00.000-08:002008-02-07T12:46:05.247-08:00Feb. 7: Fieldwork<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-SILlLeJhY0/R6tt8J-tjcI/AAAAAAAAAKk/Tjl0b132Mi0/s1600-h/images-2.jpeg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-SILlLeJhY0/R6tt8J-tjcI/AAAAAAAAAKk/Tjl0b132Mi0/s400/images-2.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164342277948935618" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-SILlLeJhY0/R6tt8p-tjeI/AAAAAAAAAK0/zA5p8GrUP7o/s1600-h/images-1.jpeg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-SILlLeJhY0/R6tt8p-tjeI/AAAAAAAAAK0/zA5p8GrUP7o/s400/images-1.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164342286538870242" /></a><br />Feb. 7<br />Reading for today:<br />Ashmore and Sharer, Chapter 5, "Fieldwork," pp. 87-124.<br />Feder, Chapter 10, "Good Vibrations: Psychics and Dowsers," pp. 261-277.<br /><br /><H1>Fieldwork</H1><br /><br /><B>ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY</B><br /><br />Archaeological survey: Methods archaeologists use to locate sites or acquire data from sites or regions without excavation; observing surface remains and using remote sensing for surface and subsurface remains (ibid. 87). Includes ecological factors. Reveals site numbers/types/form/size/spatial distribution. Not all sites found by survey, some known from history or general knowledge. High quality maps and/or aerial photographs necessary to plot site locations.<br /><br />Three Basic Methods of Site Discovery:<br /><br />1. Surface survey: Direct inspection of the terrain while walking at ground level, also called archaeological reconnaissance or reconnaissance survey. Should be done along transects at set intervals based on initial plans, but sometimes field conditions require rethinking the strategy. Oldest and most common survey method.<br /><br />2. Aerial survey: Survey from above, including aerial photography (high altitude, low altitude, and radio-controlled airplanes with rigged cameras). Low raking light at sunrise and sunset very helpful. Not just regular film, use also infrared, radar, thermography (differential heat on ground). Satellites also used at times; for example Landsat especially useful for roads and regional studies. GIS (Geographical Information Systems) data incorporate multiple sources. All remote sensing techniques require ground truth (or "ground truthing") which simply means physically checking the ground itself to check the features being interpreted in the aerial photos, for example.<br /><br />3. Subsurface survey: Survey of resources under the surface, either by direct intrusive methods like auguring, coring, or shovel testing (this last is the most common and often done on archaeological reconnaissance if the soil development indicates the likelihood of subsurface deposits; such tests are done on transects, and are often called STPs, or shovel test pits), or remote sensing technologies :<br />-- magnetometer (for variations in magnetism under ground, as with certain kinds of stone features like walls, or large areas of fired materials like clay in kilns)<br />-- resistivity detector- measures the differences in subsurface features to conduct electrical current, often because of moisture differences<br />-- ground-penetrating radar- sends back echoes revealing different densities below surface<br /><br />These last three technologies require expensive technologies, expert interpretation of the results, and are generally limited in usefulness to larger built subsurface features and remains like walls and floors of structures, and sometimes burials<br />Not mentioned in the text, archaeologists have also used metal detectors, especially for systematic battlefield surveys; one of the first and most famous examples of this use was at the Little Bighorn Battlefield in Montana.<br /><br />Once a site is located, it is given a trinomial designation in the U.S. as I described in the last class; other numbering or naming systems are used in other countries. Sites are sometimes also given names, either the historic name if known (Diamond City, near Helena), or as is common in the U.S., a landowner's name (MacHaffie Site, near Helena) or descriptive term (Pictograph Cave, near Billings). Finally, sites locations are established using satellite-based GPS (Global Positioning Systems). This is only a consistent development over the last ten years or so; back when I was doing surveys we used only a topographic map and the UTM system (boy that was fun…you young whippersnappers don't know how easy you got it these days!)<br /><br />After a site is located, by old-fashioned walking or by one of the remote-sensing based surveys, then it all comes back to walking the ground, mapping the site, and describing what is seen on the surface. The site is mapped, either using traditional mapping technologies such as the transit, or newer technologies such as the laser transit and GPS. Topographic maps and planimetric maps can provide different views of the same site data.<br /><br /><B>EXCAVATION</B><br /><br />Excavation is the principle method that archaeologists use to recover data beneath the surface, and is also sometimes a method of discovery. Subsurface remains are generally the best preserved and least disturbed data (but not always…note that subsurface remains can suffer massive disturbance through rodent burrowing even within recent years… and that some surface remains have laid essentially undisturbed for thousands of years in high remote deserts!)<br /><br /><B>The two basic goals of excavation:</B><br />1. Reveal the three-dimensional patterning/structure in deposition of artifacts, ecofacts, features; evaluation of the provenience and association<br />2. Assess the functional and temporal significance of the patterning; evaluation of the context<br />The goal is to reconstruct the past behavior; proper and complete records are VITAL to this effort-- archaeology without proper recordation, notes, maps, etc. is simply LOOTING<br /><br />For the three-dimensional patterning, it is important to note the distinction between the two horzontal dimensions of a surface (usually synchronous..of the same time period), and the one of depth (usually diachronous…of different periods)<br /><br /><B>Stratigraphy</B><br /><br />Stratification- observed layers of matrix (pl. matrices) and features; each layer is a stratum (strata is plural)<br /><br />Law of Superposition- geological principle that the sequence of strata from bottom to top reflect the order they were laid in, from earliest at the bottom to the most recent at the top (Please check out the figures in your text for a nice illustration, fig. 5.14 on p. 104 and fig. 5.15 on page 105) Even though there may be cases of reverse stratigraphy that seem to fly in the face of the law of superposition, it still holds true (see fig. 5.15, p. 105).<br /><br />Stratigraphy- the study and interpretation of stratification. Looking for evidence of redeposition or disturbance--sometimes clarification in complex cases is assisted through conjoining studies ("refitting studies") in which fragments of artifacts and ecofacts from different strata are fitted back together. Stratigraphic evaluation includes both temporal and functional evaluations.<br /><br />Nonarchitectural features: middens, burials, hearths, quarries<br />Architectural features: walls, floors, platforms, staircases, roadways<br /><br />One way to approach stratigraphic evaluation is by using a schematic diagram called a Harris Matrix, a way to abstract the relationships between various stratigraphic elements (see fig. 5-16, p. 108)<br /><br /><B>Excavation Methods</B><br /><br />There are two basic kinds of excavations:<br /><br />1. (Vertical) - Penetrating excavations- Mainly going deep vertically, to see in cross section the depth, sequencing, and composition of the deposits; test pits, trenches, tunnels.<br /><br />2. (Horizontal) - Clearing excavations- clears occupation levels horizontally to see the extent of the deposit and the arrangement of features/artifacts/ecofacts of the deposit<br /><br />Usually both types are excavation are used at a site to fit the different goals of research. Excavation is like taking apart a giant 3D puzzle, and putting it back together on paper/computer…thus the vital importance of complete notes and recordation!<br /><br /><B>The Toolkit</B><br />Take a look at the tools for an excavator's toolkit on p. 111…I will comment for you to note that the "gold standard" for archaeologists is the sharpened Marshalltown triangular trowel (medium size)…it is the identifying badge of the profession of field archaeologist beyond all others! At the minimum you also need a good compass (Brunton is the ideal, but Silva is ok too), folding rule, and tape measure (metric for prehistoric, standard inches and feet for historic). Add a shovel (flat-nose for excavations!) and a good screen, and by gum, those are the essentials.<br /><br />Micromorphology- The microscopic study of fine deposit residues cut from excavated matrices such as floors.<br /><br /><B>Provenience Control</B><br /><br />Horizontal and vertical provenience must always be the guide and structure for excavation; words fail here…Be sure and look at the excellent diagrams of the grid and excavations on pp. 112-113. It is one of those things easier to show than to tell.<br /><br />Remember…excavation of a site is destruction of the site. Without proper controls, notes, and research design, there is little noticeable difference between archaeology and looting.<br />The goal is to take enough proper field notes, scaled drawings, photographs, and standardized info on forms, to be able to reconstruct the site as an ideal.<br /><br />Field drawings are done as:<br />1. Sections (side/profile view, or vertical/stratified sections; arifacts in the unit walls, etc.)<br />2. Plan view (horizontal relationship of features and artifacts/ecofacts)<br /><br /><B>DATA PROCESSING</B><br /><br />Data are collected (artifacts, ecofacts, soil samples from the matrix and features for pollen and other analysis, etc.). There are established systems of collecting, storing, processing, and labeling/storing the data for efficient retrieval later (much like a library or archives). Ecofacts are usually processed by specialists in faunal analysis, floral analysis (including pollen or phytolith analysis), etc. Lithic analysis is also important to understand where the source materials for stone artifacts originated.<br /><br /><B>CLASSIFICATION</B><br /><br />Classification is the process of rearranging or ordering objects into groups on the basis of shared characteristics that archaeologists call attributes.<br /><br />An attribute is any observable trait that can be defined and isolated. Three basic categories of _directly observable_ attributes are used in archaeology, and the classification will depend on the research questions being asked:<br /><br />1. Stylistic attributes: color, surface finish/texture, decoration (painted/unpainted), alterations, etc. Stylistic types include pottery classifications based on decoration and finish (ex: the many types of pottery styles of the Pueblo Indians of New Mexico<br /><br />2. Form attributes: overall 3D form and aspects of the artifact's shape; dimensions (metric attributes)- length, width, thickness, weight. Form types include pottery component shape attributes (ex: thickness of wall, curve of wall, strap or loop handles) or grinding stones cross-sections (ex: round, rectangular, etc.)<br /><br />3. Technological attributes: raw materials (constituent attributes) and traits relating to the manufacturing process. Technological types include metallurgy processes (ex: different alloys of copper such as brass or bronze) and kiln processes (ex: tempering of sand using sand grit or crushed shell)<br /><br />Besides classification based on _directly observable_ attributes, artifacts can be classified using _inferred attributes_ measurable only by tests such as spectrographic or chemical analysis, which are not done in the field.<br /><br /><B>Classification serves 4 basic purposes:</B><br /><br />1. Classification divides a mass of undifferentiated data into groups/classes<br /><br />2. Classification allows the researcher to summarize characteristics of many objects by listing only shared attributes through the definition of …<br />---------Types: represent clusters of attributes that occur together repeatedly in the same artifacts. For example, Oneota Allamakee Trailed pottery which my tribe the Ioway made in precontact times, is typically distinguished by generally globular form (form attribute), trailed decorations such as chevrons (stylistic attribute), and shell-tempered clay (technological attribute)…other types of precontact pottery in the Midwest may have one or the other of these attributes, but all three attributes taken together make up the Oneota Allamakee Trailed TYPE.<br /><br />3. Classification defines variability of the artifact, which can lead to further to understanding, as when variability in pottery in some cultures relates to social subgroupings of status or lineage identity.<br /><br />4. Classification, by ordering and describing types, enables the researcher to suggest a series of relationships among classes.<br /><br />Ultimately there is no right or wrong classification scheme…it is only a working cognitive tool to get at answering a particular research question. For example, for pottery, if one is studying food storage, one might choose to classify based on form attributes, but if one is studying social identity, one might choose stylistic attributes instead.<br /><br />It is also possible to relate hierarchies of artifact classifications with hierarchies of social groupings, but depends on the base data. <br />- Individuals make artifacts based on cultural standards, or norms (attributes).<br />- Subassemblage -Patterned set of artifacts used by occupational or other groups (hunters, farmers, mothers, etc.).<br />- Assemblage -Patterned set of subassemblages that represent a community's behavior patterns.<br />- Archaeological culture -Patterned set of assemblages, sum total of material remains, assumed to represent the culture of a past society<br /><br /><br /><B>Sites and other subjects also mentioned in this chapter:</B><br />Stonehenge (Britain)<br />Tehaucan Valley (Mexico)<br />Athens, Rome, Carthage (Mediterranean region)<br />Troy (Greece); Heinrich Schliemann<br />Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania); the Leakeys<br />Lascaux Cave (France)<br />Tell / tepe - hill/mound (term used in SW Asia/Middle East)<br />Shahr-I Sokhta (Iran)<br />Sarepta (Lebanon)<br />Nile Valley (Egypt)<br />Sybaris (Greece)<br />Cahokia (Illinois)<br />China Lake Valley (California)<br />Teotihaucan (Mexico)<br />Pompeii (Italy)<br />Cerén (El Salvador)<br />Koobi Fora (Lake Turkana, Kenya)<br />Lindenmeier Site (Colorado)<br />Royal "Acropolis", Copan (Honduras)<br /><br />FEDER<br /><br />FEDER's chapter on "Good Vibrations: Psychics and Dowsers" is a good match for the Ashmore and Sharer chapter. Feder discusses the real life hard work of finding and excavating sites (which I can vouch for personally), compared to the fantasy of being able to predict where a site is using a dowsing rod or pretending to be able to see into the past and explain what happened at a site. <br /><br />Claims that are not testable, through excavation, etc., are not science. The evidence of incidents that have been tested does not support the claims of psychic archaeology or dowsing for sites. <br /><br />On the other hand, Feder is pretty dismissive of water dowsing, but my very down-to-earth Grandpa swore by it, and he and his dad could dowse for water. I do not claim that ability. But then my Grandpa actually tracked down a Will-o-the-Wisp in his youth in the dark brush along the Missouri River in pre-WWII Nebraska, when no one else would go with him because they were afraid of ghosts. He didn't believe in ghosts, as he had never seen one. But the Will-o-the-Wisp he tracked down was actually a piece of phosphorescent wood, its internal gases causing it to float its ghostly way through the dark trees. Grandpa caught that Wisp that dark night…but he didn't crush it like lesser men when confronted with the unknown…he let the Wisp-wood go, content with discovering its mystery, and letting it go on its own mysterious way.<br /><br />Archaeology is a matter of hard work, though we wish it were otherwise…wishing doesn't make it so.<br /><br />I believe there is room for science and for mystery in this world. The trick is to not be deceived, and confuse one for the other. Science is an astounding tool to discover empirical truth…but it is a very cold God.<br /><br />Next Time: Fieldwork<br />Readings for Next Class on Tuesday:<br />Reading assignment for next class: Ashmore and Sharer, Chapter 6: “Analyzing the Past,” pp. 125-156.Lance M. Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404310713482611952noreply@blogger.com0