Archaeology. Cr. 4
John F. Doershuk, University of Iowa
UI: 00L:040
ISU: Ia LL 427I
UNI: 890:040
Nature of cultural and environmental evidence in archaeology and how they are used to model past human behavior and land use; emphasis on Iowa preshistory; basic reconnaissance surveying and excavation techniques. Meets June 2-27, 2008.
The 2008 Lakeside Laboratory archaeological field school will continue on-going research efforts at the Gillett Grove Oneota culture protohistoric village site (13CY2) in Clay County, Iowa. The Gillett Grove site was first recorded in 1926 by Charles R. Keyes. Keyes, one of the founding figures of Iowa Archaeology, recorded hundreds of important sites across the State of Iowa. When Keyes visited the Gillett Grove site he found archaeological materials spread across a 20 acre area, “2 miles west and a little south of Gillett Grove...on a promontory of land on the north bank of the Little Sioux...12 low [house] mounds visible...large circular embankment/enclosure about 100 yards in diameter...on the highest central portion of the site.” Annual Lakeside Laboratory summer archaeological field schools have investigated portions of the site since 1995 recovering a large assemblage of diverse materials including arrow and spear points and other stone tools, decorated ceramic sherds, copper fragments, bison bones and other faunal remains, worked catlinite, glass trade beads, and a gun flint. Features related to semi-subterranean houses, hearths, and storage pits are preserved at 13CY2. Participants will be introduced to the basic methods of field archaeology including artifact identification, site mapping, excavation techniques, artifact processing, and beginning analytical methods. The field school will include lectures on Iowa Archaeology and the culture history sequence of western Iowa as well as day trips to the Sanford Museum in Cherokee, Iowa, the Dixon and Bastian Oneota sites, Jeffers Petroglyphs, and Pipestone National Monument. For more information on field school, visit http://www.uiowa.edu/~osa/gcp/gillettgrove/index.html.
Field trip fee: $120.
Prerequisites: This is an introductory level course—no prior experience is required.
Equipment: This is a field course so be prepared to be outside all day. Sunscreen and good footwear (no open toe sandals) are required. Excavation and surveying equipment will be provided.
Assignments: As this is primarily a field course, excavation and mapping notes as well as recording of general observations while digging will be required. Excavation and lab processing forms will also be completed by field school participants. No formal tests or writing assignments are required beyond the field notebooks (which will include building an annotated bibliography from pertinent source materials provided by the instructor).
Texts: There is one required text (try getting a used copy from Amazon.com):
Hester, Thomas R., Harry J. Shafer, and Kenneth L. Feder. 1997. Field Methods in Archaeology. 7th Edition. Mayfield Publishing Company, Mountain View California. [ISBN No.: 1-55934-799-6 paperback]
Handouts that compliment the instructional topics will also be provided.
The following texts (purchase optional) can be consulted for general background on the topic:
Harvey, Amy E. 1979. Oneota Culture in Northwestern Iowa. Report No. 12, Office of the State Archaeologist, The University of Iowa, Iowa City (available by mail from the OSA: 319/384-0732).
Green, William. 1995. Oneota Archaeology: Past Present and Future. Report No. 20, Office of the State Archaeologist, The University of Iowa, Iowa City (also available by mail from the OSA, see above).
For more information, please contact:
John F. Doershuk, Ph.D.
Office of the State Archaeologist
319/384-0751
