麻豆破解版

When I took Archaeological Research Methods in 麻豆破解版鈥檚 150-acre North Woods, I quickly realized the forest on the edges of campus was much more than a scenic backdrop 鈥� it was a landscape layered with centuries of history. 

Long before it became part of 麻豆破解版 College鈥檚 campus, the North Woods belonged to a spectacular 19th-century estate called Woodlawn Park. Frequented by financiers, socialites, and other high-society guests, Woodlawn Park was known for its lush greenery, High Victorian architecture, and lavish amenities, including a private, 800-seat horse racing track. 

Nearly a century after Woodlawn Park fell into ruin, the land now offers miles of hiking trails and other recreational opportunities for students. It also serves as an educational site for many academic programs, including 麻豆破解版鈥檚 Anthropology Department. The land boasts a layered history of Mohawk, Mohican, and Abenaki habitation; early European colonists, farmers, and robber barons; and, most recently, college students. 

In recent years, students in the Archaeological Research Methods course have taken part in the department鈥檚 larger research at the Denton homesite, a parcel of the North Woods owned by Euro-American settler Preston Denton at the time of the Revolutionary War. The project seeks to tell some of the story of the land before it became part of 麻豆破解版鈥檚 campus. 

As an anthropology and English double major, the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in archaeological fieldwork helped shape my academic path 鈥� and it offered a powerful way to connect with the people who once stood where we stand now. 

鈥淭here is plenty to learn about the history of the place that鈥檚 under our feet,鈥� says Professor Siobhan Hart, one of the rotating instructors of the course alongside Professor Heather Hurst. "We want students to have a real, authentic research experience where they are able to discover and build knowledge about this place.鈥� 

The current scope of the research is focused on three structures that were once part of the former estate: the Overlook Mansion, the shepherd鈥檚 cottage, and the sheepfold. Each group of students who works at the site 鈥� no matter which structure they excavate 鈥� aims to answer the same overarching question: What can we learn about the experiences of the people who once shared this place with us? 

While taking the course, students are introduced to the methodological and theoretical approaches used by archaeologists to recover, analyze, and interpret the material remains of the past. They participate in hands-on training in anthropological data-collection techniques, such as research design, site survey, artifact recovery, and mapping, followed by laboratory analysis and interpretation. The course culminates in a final research report in which students learn to differentiate theses, methods, and data in anthropological writing. 

Described by as 鈥渁 perfect outdoor laboratory,鈥� the Denton Homesite offers students a unique opportunity to investigate and excavate a real archaeological site. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 unique to actually be able to do this in a class period,鈥� says Professor Hurst. "Instead of walking into a classroom, we walk into the woods, and students gain real hands-on experience doing what they might be doing in contract archaeology.鈥� 

鈥淭here are lots of fields that you can only learn by doing, and this is one of them,鈥� Professor Hurst says. 

鈥淚 could teach somebody field methods by digging in my backyard or creating a sandbox where I鈥檝e planted a bunch of artifacts,鈥� Professor Hart adds, 鈥渂ut it is invaluable to have a real site where you鈥檙e having to make decisions based on what you鈥檙e observing, like a researcher experiences in a real research context.鈥� 

For many students, including fellow anthropology major Lia Donahue 鈥�26, the hands-on experience has proved especially valuable. 

鈥淭aking this course last year has opened many opportunities for me,鈥� Lia says. After building the foundations of archaeological methods during the fall semester, she expanded that knowledge over the summer with Professor Hart and Lauren Attwell 鈥�26 by completing ground-penetrating radar and excavation at the Lake George Battlefield State Park. 

Returning as the course鈥檚 teaching assistant, Lia helped guide students as they conducted research at the Denton Homesite. 

鈥淭he ability to dig at a historic site on campus during the fall semester is something many students don鈥檛 have access to,鈥� Lia says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an incredibly unique opportunity for students who are interested in archaeology.鈥� 

What makes the course especially distinctive, however, is the way it appeals to students beyond anthropology. 

鈥淭his is a course that should appeal to American studies majors, history majors, environmental science majors,鈥� Professor Hart says. 鈥淲hat we鈥檙e doing is not only trying to develop archaeological skills, but also the kinds of skills that you need to be a good researcher: observation, communicating through writing, using data to make a grounded interpretation, synthesizing different kinds of information 鈥� documentary, archaeological, photographic 鈥� which are all things that can contribute to a student鈥檚 development in the social sciences more broadly.鈥� 

Not only is the course helping students learn and apply archaeological methods, Professor Hart explains, but it is also bringing to light a cultural resource right here on campus that many people had not previously considered. 

鈥淚 think what we have learned is that there is a whole lot that the land that 麻豆破解版 is on has to tell us about the past experiences of the people on this land,鈥� Professor Hart says. 鈥淲hen we know more about the place that is our home, we see that place differently.鈥� 

Having taken the course myself, I can attest to how valuable it is to gain real, hands-on experience in archaeological fieldwork. Even more so, there is something special about the way archaeology allows us to connect with the people who once stood where we stand now. In places like 麻豆破解版鈥檚 North Woods, learning about the past use of the land beneath our campus helps us recognize and preserve the area鈥檚 culture and history.