ANT418:ADVANCED ARCHAEOLOGY FIELD SCHOOL

Presented by Patryk Weglorz

WHAT IS IT?

The program is a continuation of ANT318, but since it is a 4th year credit, it gives students more freedom to work on their own and develop their skills alongside their professor.

418 has a field portion that runs during the last two weeks of August, and a lab portion that runs through the fall semester.

It is an archaeological course. While there are other field schools geared towards linguistics, cultural anthropology, etc., this course is focused on historical or prehistoric material culture.

Since the content in ANT418 varies from professor to professor, this slideshow will be showcasing the experience of the 2014 fall semester.

[Pictured Right: Charlotte Schreiber in her studio at Mount Woodham house, about 1900. She is apart of the family we study!]

WHAT DID YOU DO IN THE SUMMER?

Our main objective for this year was surface collection at a location called Iverholme.

Surface collection requires mapping in all the unique features (rocks, trees, bushes, etc.) and collecting all artifacts within the working unit. Surface collection is to get an idea of artifact dispersal and where the best places to excavate are.

We spent just under a week there, but collected hundreds of artifacts!

The material we collected at Iverholme would later be cleaned, catalogued, and sorted.

We honed our skills of setting up grids, working within deadlines, and making inferences based on each unit.

We also took a 3D scan of the area – we learned how to make 3D scans using just our phones!

FROZEN CHARLOTTE DOLLc. 1850 – 1920

A small figure we found while doing surface collecting at Iverholme.

(If you look in the background, you can see a bin full of other artifacts we found.)

In addition to the surface collection, students partook in a group mapping project and used the information in an individual assignment.

Alike to the ANT318 mapping assignment, this project asked students what they thought was important about the area, and were marked on the information they provided in their field notes. We were mostly interested in mapping treelines and roads to get a better understanding of the historical site.

Using prior knowledge from 318, we were able to work on our own and without aid – a skill that is extremely useful in future archaeological jobs!

The information we collected from this field experience would later be used in GIS mapping.

Here is an artifact we found buried in the dirt while mapping our area. After mapping where it was in relation to the datum and taking a photo, we unearthed it to get a better look.

We speculate it was a piece of farming equipment.

EARNED VALUABLE LEADERSHIP SKILLS

We were also put into roles of leadership by being assigned a 318 student and teaching them excavation strategies.

We taught them how to shovel test, how to bag artifacts, and take proper field notes.

We were also in charge of managing a pedestrian survey and educating the 318 students in how to take GPS points of features.

WHERE IS IT AND HOW MUCH IS IT?

It’s one of the cheapest field schools available through UTM. In recent years, both ANT318 and ANT418 stay on site and work on the Mississauga campus!

If you are from the area, there is no need to pay housing since it’s not an overnight field school. The days are from 9am – 5pm so you only have to stay on campus for the time needed.

There are standard enrollment fees but the only extra charge is $35. Compare that to the thousands you’d be spending overseas for some of the same experiences!

HOW CAN THIS PROGRAM HELP ME?

In relation to archaeology: if you are looking to further your education (getting a masters or PhD) they WILL be looking for field experience. It depends on what field you go into, but all of them require weeks of field work.

If you are applying for jobs once you get out of university, the field school will look great on your application and it will give you a large advantage (since you know how to do more advanced work like stage 1 reports!)

[Pictured Right: This is a Charlotte Schreiber painting of the old St Peter's Church (before 1885). There may be as many as fifty pictures like this, virtually identical.]

HOW DO I APPLY?

If there is enough interest in the course, and if a professor wishes to teach it, then ANT418 can run. Usually the field schools run every other year, so if ANT318 doesn’t run in 2015 then don’t worry. It will be back, and so will ANT418.

When field schools do run, students must apply online at: http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/anthropology/field-school/field-school-application

It’s a short application and shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes, so no need to be worried about the application process! It’s more about gauging how many students are interested in the programs available.

HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT ANT318 AND ANT418?Stick around after the lunch break and Dr. Michael Brand will be here to answer them!

UTMAS is also available to answer questions, just email us at anthropology@utmsu.ca