Surveying the Old-Fashioned Way

May 24, 2016

Today field school participants learned to conduct a pedestrian survey and map an archaeological site at Shields Pueblo (part of the Goodman Point Community).  Our first exercise was to note the number of steps each of us took in a ten meter stretch in order to estimate how to draw a map to scale (more-or-less).  We marked off the boundaries of the site, then each group established a datum, or reference point.  One student held the tape measure, another walked out to the pin flags and a third person noted the measurements and drew points on graph paper.  As the measurements were called out and recorded, a rough bird’s-eye view of the site began to take shape.  This exercise made us aware of the inaccuracies that can occur using this informal method of map making, but everyone agreed this is a viable way to map a site in a pinch.

Next we learned to make a more accurate map using a compass and protractor along with the tape measure.  Crow Canyon archaeologist, Grant Coffey, patiently demonstrated the procedure for measuring angles using a compass.  Remember, “the red car goes in the red garage!”  He explained how to account for declination so that the map is situated to true north.  These maps were a more accurate depiction of the site.

All that surveying and mapping accompanied by a stiff southerly wind whet our appetites.  We are grateful to the cooks who provided us with a variety of meats and cheeses for sandwiches, along with veggies, potato chips, fruit and cookies.  A new field school student joined us today, bringing our group to a grand total of 20 future archaeologists.

After wrapping up our mapping activities we ventured to Sand Canyon Pueblo, a late Pueblo III period site located in Canyon of the Ancients National Monument.  This site is notable for its size, horseshoe-shaped layout, and unique architectural features including a D-shaped structure.  Was this an attempt to revitalizeChaco?  A new way of building public spaces?  Does it indicate a change in social organization?  These are questions we will continue to ponder as we walk in the footsteps and explore the built environment of the ancestral Pueblo people who inhabited this beautiful region thousands of years ago.

Greetings!

Welcome to the 2016 Crow Canyon Archaeological Center’s College Field School blog! Yesterday, the field school students arrived in beautiful southwestern Colorado where they will be spending the next five weeks learning “all things archaeology.” This college-accredited field school is under the direction of Dr. Susan Ryan, Crow Canyon’s Director of Archaeology. Certified by the Register of Professional Archaeologists, students will be receiving intensive training in both archaeological field and laboratory methods. Evening programs, field trips, a service learning project, and more will round out their experience here at Crow Canyon.

This morning was spent discussing the 12,000+ years of human occupation in North America with a focus on the U.S. Southwest. Dr. Ryan spoke about defining characteristics of the various culture groups that once inhabited this area. After, students joined the lab archaeologists for an introduction to artifacts. They were introduced to four broad categories of common artifacts we find here in the Pueblo southwest including ground stone, chipped stone and flaked lithic tools, pottery, and faunal materials. Students were tasked with separating these artifacts into more specific categories. The afternoon consisted of a tour of Indian Camp Ranch where excavations are ongoing for the Basketmaker Communities Project.

We’re excited College Field School is off to a great start! Blog posts will be written primarily by staff members and field school participants. This blog will be updated regularly…. Follow along on the adventure!

Field school students sorting faunal artifacts in the lab.

Sorting ground stone artifacts.

Dr. Kari Schleher, lab manager, discusses obsidian/volcanic sources while students sort stone tool artifacts.