Washington State University's 2010 field season in the Owyhee River Canyon of southeastern Oregon is the seventh season for the project directed by Dr. William Andrefsky, Jr. Excavations at the Birch Creek site, a large pit house village will be held between May 24 and June 25, 2010. Field director Jennifer Ferris sent along this description of the upcoming session.
Owyhee River Canyon in Oregon. Photo by William Andrefsky, Jr.
The WSU Department of Anthropology's seventh annual archaeological field school will be held in conjunction with the Vale Oregon District, of the Bureau of Land Management. Led by Dr. William Andrefsky, Jr., the excavations are located in the beautiful Owyhee River Canyon approximately 60 kilometers from the Jordon Valley in southeastern Oregon. The focus of this year's effort is on the excavation of a prehistoric multicomponent site with a large pit house village. The class will emphasize both academic and practical instruction in developing basic skills in archaeological excavation, survey, mapping, photography, and field curation. Laboratory procedures and lectures on lithic analysis, faunal analysis, and paleo-environments will also be included as part of the program.
About the Site and Area
The archaeological site dates from approximately 7,000 to 2,000 years ago and is situated along the northwestern boundary of the Great Basin culture area. The most recent occupation of the site is a large village of numerous pit houses that were occupied and abandoned on multiple occasions. Preservation of organic materials and stone tools at the undisturbed site is excellent. The site area is situated on the portion of the Owyhee River, a federally designated Wild and Scenic River. It is a truly magnificent setting with massive basalt and sandstone rock formations and abundant wildlife, such as desert bighorn sheep, mule deer, cougar, and rattlesnake.
Logistics
The course runs for a total of five weeks from May 24 through June 25, 2010. A one-day class orientation on the WSU campus in Pullman, WA precedes the move to our base camp at the historic 1930s Morrison Ranch on the Owyhee River. The field season is divided into three 9-day blocks with a 2-day break between each block. In addition to site excavations, the class will take a 3-4 day field trip to examine other sites in the region and to conduct archaeological survey exercises in the canyon country of eastern Oregon.
Tuition and Expenses
2008 Field Crew in the Owyhee Canyon of Oregon. Photo by William Andrefsky, Jr.
Current WSU and non-WSU undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to enroll. All participants must register for either 8 credit hours of Anthropology 399 (undergraduate) or 8 credit hours of 599 (graduate) through WSU. Tuition for undergraduate enrollment is $3,040.00 (resident), $3,120.00 (non-resident), and graduate student tuition is $3,216.00 (resident), and $3,296.00 (non-resident). Tuition is subject to change by the Board of Regents.
A special course fee of $543.63 covers food for five weeks, transportation to the base camp, local transport, field trips, and laboratory and field supplies.
Inquiries and Applications
Inquiries and application forms should be submitted as soon as possible. The deadline is April 15, 2010. Students who intend to participate in the course should contact: Jennifer Ferris, Field Director, Archaeological Field School, Department of Anthropology, Washington State University, PO Box 64910, Pullman, WA 99164-4910 (jennifer.ferris@email.wsu.edu; 509.335.3441; fax 509.335.3999).
Preference will be given to early applicants and anthropology/archaeology majors. The course will be limited to 15 students.
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