This week's archaeology Fieldwork in Focus comes from Tamira Brenna, co-director of Southeast Missouri State University's excavations at Kincaid Mounds (alongside last week's SIUC excavations) and at the South Cape Site in southeastern Missouri.
Southeast Missouri State University's 2010 archaeological field school will take place at two captivating prehistoric sites in the Midsouthern US - Kincaid Mounds of southern Illinois and the South Cape site of southeast Missouri.
Southeast Missouri State University Fieldschool 2009. Photo courtesy Southeast Missouri State University
Both sites date to the Mississippian time period (AD 1000-1450 AD), an intriguing slice of the past that was marked by rich cultural life and widespread ceremonialism. The Mississippian peoples grew corn and other crops, hunted and gathered local resources, and enjoyed gaming in their leisure time. Their relatively rapid disappearance from this area ~ AD 1450 remains a mystery that these excavations may help solve.
We will spend the first two weeks of this field school in Brookport, IL, excavating the remains of several Native American houses at Kincaid alongside students from another university's field school. Kincaid was once home to hundreds of inhabitants who built large earthen mounds to house the temples of their gods, the residences of their leaders, and even the tombs of their dead. A large fortification wall surrounded this city for protection.
Our research here will build upon a decade of excavations completed by the University of Chicago in the 1930-40s, while helping us to understand the identity of this site's inhabitants and the patterns of their domestic life. Groceries, laundry, and entertainment are all within walking distance of our field house in Brookport.
Our final three weeks will take place at the South Cape site, a much smaller village in Cape Girardeau, MO. This site was also fortified by a large wall, and the sandy soils make for easy digging and great preservation of artifacts. Previous excavations have revealed a cemetery, a "women's house", and many unusual artifacts including mica, ceramic figurines, and bear canines! This year we will continue unearthing part of an extremely large structure that was first opened in 2009. Intensive laboratory experience during this final three weeks will teach proper curation and analysis of the artifacts that we uncover. There is plenty to do in and around Cape Girardeau, and your weekends will be free to explore.
Southeast Missouri State University Fieldschool 2009. Photo courtesy Southeast Missouri State University
Both portions of the excavation will teach standard archaeological field and laboratory methods while earning students 4 university credits over the course of five weeks. Topics such as the prehistory of the Eastern Woodlands, getting a job in archaeology, and archaeological ethics will all be discussed during field and lab-time lectures. Communal housing, larger equipment, and transportation to and from the site each day are provided. Students must obtain their own toolkits (a list of necessary items will be provided) and pay a small fee to help cover costs of large items. Dinners M-F will be communal. This field school is FUN!
| Dates | July 5-August 7, 2010 |
| Tuition: |
In-state: $834 (includes university fees) Out-of-state: $1452 (includes university fees) |
| Field school fee: | ~$50 |
| Credit: | 4 credit hours of AN311 and 313 |
| Contact: | tbrennan@semo.edu |
| Website: | Shovel Bums |
Comments