Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis

Department of Anthropology

Summer Field School 2010

Photos

Please enjoy the photos below from the 2010 Summer Field School. Click on the photos below to view a larger version.

Dr. Wilson and StudentsImage 1: Dr. Wilson (center) and students (left to right: Paula Olin, Jenna Dutcher, Mike Essex, Theo Vadpey, and Shanna Reis)  pause to examine a concentration of bones and pottery in Unit 10-1 that was found immediately below the plow zone at the Mississippian period, Lawrenz Gun Club site (11Cs4) in the central Illinois River valley.

Dr. Wilson, Mike Essex (IUPUI), and Theo Vadpey (UC-Berkley)Image 2: Dr. Wilson, Mike Essex (IUPUI), and Theo Vadpey (UC-Berkley) attempt to define the margins of the concentration of bones and pottery in Unit 10-1 at the Lawrenz Gun Club site.

Dr. Wilson aids the students (left to right: Mike Essex, Jenna Dutcher, Theo Vadpey, and Shanna Reis)Image 3: Dr. Wilson aids the students (left to right: Mike Essex, Jenna Dutcher, Theo Vadpey, and Shanna Reis) in artifact identification.  In this instance, fish vertebrae were recovered from a bisected pit feature.

Students (left to right: Theo Vadpey, Brent Yenney, Paula Olin, Mike Essex, and Stephanie Montalban) work on three of the 1x2 meter unitsImage 4: Students (left to right: Theo Vadpey, Brent Yenney, Paula Olin, Mike Essex, and Stephanie Montalban) work on three of the 1x2 meter units in the village area of the Lawrenz Gun Club site.  The two units in the foreground each uncovered portions of wall-trench, Mississippian house, while the unit in the background revealed a large semi-circular burn feature that may have been used to fire ceramics during production.

In Unit 10-3, the remnants of a burnt structure were first uncovered by Stephanie Montalban and Mike Essex.Image 5: In Unit 10-3, the remnants of a burnt structure were first uncovered by Stephanie Montalban and Mike Essex.  Four additional excavation units were opened around Unit 10-3 to uncover a larger portion of the burnt structure.  Brent Yenney and Kathy McKown from Western Illinois University and Paula Olin (from IUPUI) work on bringing down the western unit, while Mike and Stephanie excavate the unit to the south.

Students (left to right: Brent Yenney, Stephanie Montalban, Mike Essex, Jacquelyn Bigham, Kathy McKown, and Paula Olin) continue the excavations above the burnt structure.Image 6: Students (left to right: Brent Yenney, Stephanie Montalban, Mike Essex, Jacquelyn Bigham, Kathy McKown, and Paula Olin) continue the excavations above the burnt structure.  The density of artifacts increased immediately below the plow zone.  Work on these units was frequently hampered by inclement weather, which resulted in significant erosion and washing-in along the north wall of the block excavation.

All five excavation units atop the burnt structure were excavated to a comparable depth, mapped, and photographed prior to sampling of the logs and removal.Image 7: All five excavation units atop the burnt structure were excavated to a comparable depth, mapped, and photographed prior to sampling of the logs and removal.  All told, over 60 complete and partial logs were removed.  Stephanie Montalban (left/east) works to define the margins of a log, while Shanna Reis and Kathy McKown are performing a clean scrape of the southern unit in the block.

Once a majority of the burnt posts/logs were removed, students went about defining the wall-trenches in which the posts were originally placed.Image 8: Once a majority of the burnt posts/logs were removed, students went about defining the wall-trenches in which the posts were originally placed.  If it was not the rain that required postponement, the intense heat was a common companion in the field.  A mister was frequently used to help identify contrasting soils and simultaneously cool the excavators.  The heat index often reached 105 to 110 degrees on sunny days in June.

As the excavation of the wall-trenches and post-molds progressed, it was quickly recognized that the structure had been rebuilt several times prior to the final occupation episode during which it burnt down.Image 9: As the excavation of the wall-trenches and post-molds progressed, it was quickly recognized that the structure had been rebuilt several times prior to the final occupation episode during which it burnt down.  Like most of the students, Stephanie Montalban and Shanna Reis worked barefoot in the later stages of the excavation to avoid leaving impressions in silty-sand soils and collapse of the wall-trenches.